Hibiscusmatters 3 April 2013 | 13

$675,000* Private SaleOne of the rare Gulf Harbour waterfront apartments that faces the bay and city instead of the apartment across the canal

Ph Margaret 09 428 0954 or 021 213 8404 or b.mmack@live.com Trademe listing#559834353. Realtor participation welcome

*Negotiable. 67 Waterside Crescent, Gulf Harbour

View from Balcony

3 bedroom • 2 bathroom • 2 decks • 140sqm • 2 car garage, with lockable storage • 17m marina berth • 4th level • Alarm system • Bright spacious • Open floor plan • Spectacular views • New carpet • New paint • very well maintained. Walk to the Gulf Harbour Country Club, Yacht Club, Ferry, schools, shops and restaurants.

UNITARY PLAN Liftout GuideThe proposals in Auckland Council’s draft Unitary Plan will radically change the appearance of residential communities on the Hibiscus Coast, over the next 30 years.The plan, which replaces all the regional and district plans of legacy councils, proposes to standardise the existing 99 residential zones across Auckland into five: Single House, Mixed Housing (detached, semi-detached and attached), Terraced Housing & Apartment Building, Large Lot Residential and Rural & Coastal Settlement.For the Coast, where there is already a lot of infill housing, increasing the intensity (such as in the Terraced Housing & Apartment zone) will require developers to purchase a number of lots adjoining each other. Terraced Housing & Apartment Building is zoned for in the residential parts of Orewa, Red Beach, Manly and adjacent to Silverdale town centre. In Orewa large blocks of such housing of up to five storeys (18m) are proposed for central Orewa (Centreway Rd) and on the landward side of the highway, opposite the beach.Areas surrounding Whangaparaoa town centre zoned for Terraced Housing & Apartment Building include the ridgelines of Wade River Road; this can go to four storeys. Mixed Housing zones around Manly Village allow for increasing density which is expected to create stormwater and traffic issues on already stressed infrastructure.

OREWA RESIDENTS SAYThe Orewa Ratepayers & Residents Association, which successfully fought Rodney District Council’s plan to increase heights in residential Orewa (Variation101) in the Environment Court, says the draft Unitary Plan would be a disaster for Orewa. Chair John Drury says the proposal to intensify Orewa East is inappropriate because it’s already one dwelling per 270sqm. “Orewa is already punching above its weight when it comes to intensity.”

Community impacts Commercial impacts

DEVELOPERS SAYSouthside Group director Chris Jones says that lack of clarity in the draft Unitary Plan puts him in a difficult position. The company plans to build a 10-12 storey building at 292–312 Hibiscus Coast Highway. He says when the company bought the site it had the same restricted discretionary provisions as the Nautilus, which enabled the building of “something iconic”. “If we are restricted to six storeys a redevelopment involving demolishing the existing shops will not be viable so we will probably tidy up the shops and sell them in five small blocks,” Mr Jones says. He says his company is not going to get involved in the feedback process: “Why would you bother? We’ve been down that road before, with Variation 101, and it’s a total waste of money.” He says the company is discussing the way forward, bearing in mind the needs of its tenants, many of whom are on short-term leases.Cabra Developments already has consent for its medium/low intensity residential development on the hills behind Karepiro Drive in Whangaparaoa. Project and sales manager Duncan Unsworth says their feedback on the draft plan will be that the area zoned light industrial at the base of Cabra’s site, should be changed to residential so that higher density housing can go there. Cabra is hoping to begin developing the site in October. Mr Unsworth is also concerned that Council has not released any more greenfield land, which he says is needed to create more affordable housing. “In the long term the housing intensity proposed is great but developers will have to consolidate a decent sized site before they can build apartments and that will take time.” Orewa Land, which is 50 percent owned by Hopper Developments, put the properties it owns from Hibiscus Coast Highway to Pine Rd up for sale last week. The properties total more than 7000sqm. The draft plan allows heights in this zone to go to four storeys. Project manager Howard Jury says the draft Unitary Plan gives any purchaser a clear indication of the development potential, and provides for higher density than currently permitted. He says if the land does not sell in whole, or part, Orewa Land will reconsider undertaking a development there itself.

Auckland Council’s draft Unitary Plan allows for different maximum heights in local town centres – in Orewa it’s six storeys (24.5m) and four storeys (16.5m) is proposed for Whangaparaoa. The eight storeys (32.5m) proposed in the draft plan for Silverdale is, according to Unitary Plan manager John Duguid, a misprint, and it should be four (16.5m). Council planners say the differences depend on factors such as the size of the town centre, with bigger centres (those deeper than one block) generally given bigger height limits than smaller centres. Silverdale: Silverdale has rapidly become the hub for big box and Albany-style retail development, with the original Village shops and Pioneer Village at its heart. Silverdale Commercial Ratepayers Association deputy chair Graham Johnson says as it is critical to retain the character of the Village, four storeys is totally inappropriate.Local Board chair Julia Parfitt says significant precinct planning will be necessary in Silverdale and is seeking further clarification after Council officers suggested this would need to be funded by the Local Board.Orewa: A Property Development Viability Assessment Report, commissioned by Auckland Council, found that the four storey height limit proposed in the draft Area Plan for Orewa was “generally not commercially viable … and even the six storey option was marginal” which could see some developers sell out of Orewa.At stake also are dissenting views on how a viable town centre can be achieved, with ratepayers groups arguing that because of topography and the effects on amenity values, tall buildings, especially along the Hibiscus Coast Highway are not appropriate.Whangaparaoa: The Hibiscus & Bays Area Plan noted that the only part of Whangaparaoa suited to increasing building density and height, due to the terrain, is around the town centre where four storeys are proposed.

| Hibiscusmatters 3 April 201314

Battle over Area Plan hots upFeelings ran high when the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board met last month to discuss amending its Area Plan in line with the expectations of the governing body for increasing height in the town centres of Orewa and Browns Bay.Area Plans were to feed into Council’s Unitary Plan, however the board is concerned that its plan may not be adopted by the governing body, because of the height issue.The meeting, on March 20, included a presentation by Planning North/West manager Warren Maclennan, who said that the draft Area Plan did not allow for sufficient growth.Deputy chair David Cooper said that the Council’s growth targets are achieved by the draft Area Plan. He says the Local Board was told by the governing body that the Area Plan would be an overlay to its draft Unitary Plan and that they are pressing to have that happen.Member John Watson said “the Unitary beast is rampaging all over our Area Plan and causing a lot of confusion for the public”.“Feedback during the area plan process was that the tired business district of Orewa would not be transformed by high rise,” he said. “Rather, they are likely to ruin the aesthetic and the reasons that people move there. Our Area Plan hit the right balance and reflected the majority views of the residents who we represent. It sends a clear message to the planners about what we think is appropriate.”The Area Plan goes forward for adoption by the Auckland Plan Committee on April 16.

HOW YOuR LOCAL BOARD VOTEDOn the resolution that the Local Board stick with a height limit of four storeys (rather than six sought by the governing body) for Orewa, Hibiscus & Bays Local Board members voted, on March 20, as follows:For: Julia Parfitt, John Watson, David Cooper, Gary Holmes and Greg Sayers. David Cooper said: “I’m voting for four storeys because that’s the wish of our community, not of 14 people on a working party, some planners and presumably a few developers.”Against: Gaye Harding, John Kirikiri and Lisa Whyte. Gaye Harding said: “This is a 30-year plan and we are only talking about six levels, not high-rise as in New York. We need more accommodation for visitors and affordable housing. If you have variable height, maybe you don’t have to be wealthy to have sea views. That would be a drawcard for young people who come here because of the beach. Let’s listen to the generation coming up in the next 30 years. I would rather have taller, narrower buildings than sprawl.”

AUCKLAND

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Date Time Event Venue

9 April10am-1pm

Community meeting

Whangaparaoa Library, 9 Main St

18 April10am-1pm

Community meeting

Orewa Library 12 Moana St

23 April9.30am – 12.30pm

Older People’s Forum

Orewa Community House, 214E Hibiscus Coast Highway

Auckland Council and the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board want to hear your views at a series of meetings we’re hosting this month.

Please register your attendance via unitaryplan@aucklandcouncil.co.nz or call 09 365 3788.

Please come along to the meetings or visit www.shapeauckland.co.nz to share your views online.

The draft Auckland Unitary Plan affects you and your community

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Hibiscusmatters 3 April 2013 | 15

Councillor Michael Goudie’s viewThe draft Auckland Unitary Plan is the first chance for the whole of Auckland to plan growth for our region and to have a say on what our communities will look and feel like over the next 30 years. The goal is to achieve smarter intensification that complements our environment, takes pressure off rural areas and improves public transport connections across our city. Council is portrayed as a regulatory beast and this is probably not far from the truth. The Unitary Plan pulls back on some of that in a practical way. We have been able to pick up the best parts of the old district plans but also focused on delivering the Auckland Plan vision of a compact city. The draft Auckland Unitary Plan gives certainty to the public and provides scope for innovation and good design. There has been a lot of talk about height in the Bays and on the Coast. Who says a four-storey building works better than a well designed six-storey building? Not only does this ignore the fact that not every building in town centres will be built to a maximum height, but the design guidelines in the Unitary Plan for terraced housing and apartments will not allow the wall of buildings along our beachfronts that has been suggested. Businesses are screaming for investment in these areas. I am nervous that when I look out the window in 30 years, these town centres may have been left in the past. We need to fulfil their potential. Take a look at what young people have to say about the next 30 years. The videos they created for the UP video competition tell us they want Auckland to be a well designed city that goes up, not out, has great amenities and great public transport.

Councillor Wayne Walker’s viewThe rush to put the new rule plan together and get it out has meant local variety has lost out to regional conformity. I believe a compact city that contains sprawl is to be supported and going up has merit, where it works. But what fits the local situation should count the most. Orewa in particular has been lumped in with other six storey town centres against the four storeys of the Area Plan. Whangaparaoa generally is not suited to high density – especially beyond the Town Centre and out towards Gulf Harbour, and with the capacity of infrastructure in mind. At this stage engaging with the Plan is difficult for those without fast internet access. I’m working on the provision of a set of local plans in hard copy at libraries and am available to talk with groups so please contact me; this is top priority. What has gone out is a draft so there is expectation it will change. But change means your involvement; get together with neighbours, friends or workmates and put a submission together – group affiliation carries more weight. Get involved. Make yourself heard.

HAVE YOuR SAYOnline: View the e-plan at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or a summary at www.shapeauckland.co.nz where there is a feedback form. Feedback can also be made on Facebook, www.facebook.com/aklcouncilOrewa Library has a reference set that does not include the draft plan or maps.Hard copies can be obtained, at a cost. Single maps cost $65 plus GST, a complete set of maps (581 pages) $1195 plus GST and the 1220 pages of text $340 plus GST. Email printed copy requests to unitaryplan@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Local engagement: April 9, E-plan clinic/roadshow, Whangaparaoa Library, 10am–1pm • April 16, Walk-in session, Puhoi Sports Club, Puhoi Domain, 7pm–9pm • April 18, E-plan clinic/roadshow, Orewa Library, 10am–1pmTimeline: Public engagement began on March 15 and finishes on May 31. The draft will be finalised in August, after which it will be publicly notified.

Consultant planners Cato Bolam of Orewa have been examining the draft Unitary Plan and say that the biggest change is in the way it provides for the future growth of the region.Planning manager Peter Reaburn says that as well as providing for a much higher density of development in urban areas, Council is also asking for feedback on possible new areas for development around the edges of existing towns. These include a major expansion of business zoning at Silverdale and new residential development areas at Wainui East and Dairy Flat, which provide for an extra 12,000 dwellings over a 30-year period.He says for small developments, such as house additions, most people can get the basic rules by entering their property address on the online version of the draft plan.Mr Reaburn says that to achieve consistency across Auckland there are some adjustments to the basic rules relating to land development. One example is the standard residential zone, which applies in Orewa West, Silverdale and much of the Whangaparoa Peninsula. The new minimum site size is 500m2, compared to the standard 600m2 that applies under the Rodney District Plan. There are also new yard and other requirements.

Planning advice may be needed

Rather than creating a compact city, the draft Unitary Plan creates ‘urban sprawl’. Coming from up north, you’ll hit Orewa and the North Shore and think you’re already in the central city, not in coastal settlements. “

”Martin Emery, ORRA

| Hibiscusmatters 3 April 201316

SURVEYORS | PLANNERS | ENGINEERS

If you have residential land, some of your opportunities may be improved. Talk to us to �nd out what this means for you.

Draft Unitary PlanHow will the Draft Unitary Plan affect you?

What should you do about the Draft Unitary Plan? Check your zoning and the overlay rules to see how they a�ect your property.

Residential landowners should: Consider providing feedback to Council on: 1. The residential subdivision rules 2. The future growth area

Rural landowners should: Consider providing feedback to Council on: 1. The Rural Subdivision rules 2. The Rural Boundary Relocation rules

Take action now and secure a subdivision consent for rural bush or wetland subdivisions under the current rules

1. Advise on your development potential under the current and draft rules

2. Advise on the best course of action to secure the most potential from your land

3. Secure subdivision consent under the current rules

4. Prepare submissions on the Unitary Plan when noti�ed in September 2013

Orewa: 19 Tamariki Ave | 09 427 0072

Henderson: 89 Central Park Drive | 09 837 0486

Whangarei: 127 Bank Street | 09 438 1684

www.catobolam.co.nz

However, some current rural landsubdivision opportunities may be lost. Act now to �nd out if this a�ects you.

How can Cato Bolam help you?