Complex concerns
RETAIL giant The Warehouse has the green light to build a shopping and apartment complex in Balmoral.
But neighbours are still hoping changes might be made to the plans.
The Warehouse’s property arm, Eldamos Investments, has been granted resource consent for the two-building development which will include The Warehouse, 34 apartments and 234 car parking spaces at its site on Balmoral Rd.
The existing store will be removed along with a fruit and vegetable store and coffee shop, the Balmoral Rd BP service station, and a house at 16 Rocklands Ave.
It’s not yet clear when work will start, a spokeswoman for The Warehouse says.
Nearby residents were first notified of the plans in 2010.
It was put on hold until the council received a traffic report in 2013 and was notified again last year ( Central Leader, January 29, 2014).
Forty-five submissions were made asking that it be declined.
Three were made in support this time around.
Rocklands Ave resident Sandra Frakes is among a group of neighbours that have been lobbying The Warehouse to make design changes. ‘‘We’re not bothered that they have got consent.
‘‘The concept of tidying the area up is fine,’’ Frakes says. ‘‘It’s the fact that our voices haven’t been heard.’’
Rocklands Ave will become a main service entrance – something neighbours are against.
‘‘There will be delivery trucks coming and going in a residential street, then there is the car parking, there is a lot of concern,’’ Frakes says.
Residents held a meeting on Tuesday night to discuss their options.
‘‘We’ve got to accept it is going ahead. But we want to work with The Warehouse to mitigate the negative impacts for the neighbours the best that they can,’’ Frakes says.