My Account
New parks at risk
Mahurangi residents will likely be unaware that the effect of Auckland Council’s recently announced Future Development Strategy (MM June 19) is to put a 20-year hold on the development of over 25 hectares of new parks and public open space in Warkworth.
The Waimanawa Private Plan Change in Warkworth south, lodged with council in January, has provision for this unprecedented provision of parks. This includes 3.6 hectares of new sportsfields plus other recreation areas, covenanted native bush and more than 1.5 kilometres of picturesque walking and cycling tracks along two tributaries of the Mahurangi River.
This will not only serve a rapidly growing Warkworth population, but also residents of existing urban areas suffering the effects of intensification.
Council gives as a reason for deferring development in Warkworth south that “25% of the area is within 1% AEP flood plain”. Careful planning has ensured that such land is not used for development, but for parkland.
Besides, in the Auckland Anniversary weekend floods, which devastated large swathes of Auckland, there was no flooding or damage in the Waimanawa Valley.
Is this a case of unintended consequences or a case of Council’s left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?
Bill Endean, Warkworth
