Anger continues over ‘eyesore’ development
A group of residents and ratepayers is calling for a change in height restrictions in Auckland’s Unitary Plan, in light of a fourstorey commercial building going up opposite residential homes.
The 15-metre high building on Hobsonville Rd, which is being constructed as a storage unit, has been described as ‘‘an eyesore’’.
It will contain up to 1400 storage units and 22 car parks.
A Hobsonville-West Harbour Residents and Ratepayers Association flyer, which has been distributed in the area, states the group wants to see an ‘‘urgent change’’ to the permitted building height of 20 metres in the lightindustrial zone.
They are also want to see rules around what can be built on zoning boundaries, and for any new buildings to be publicly notified in the meantime.
Association chairman John Carrodus said he hoped it would send a clear message to the council not to build anything as big on the roadside again.
There was ‘‘no integration’’ between the residential zone and light industrial zone on the other side of the road, he said.
Under the former Waita¯kere City Council, urban design guidelines were drawn up for the area when it was first rezoned to allow industrial development.
They were not included the final Auckland Unitary Plan.
Upper Harbour Local Board deputy chairwoman Margaret Miles said with land zoning, a lot of people didn’t realise the implications of exactly what could be built.
People were simply too busy to be looking into the detail, she said.
‘‘It’s not until something affects somebody that they become aware of what can actually go on next to them or across the road from them.’’
Resource consent for the building, which is being developed by National Mini Storage, was approved in August 2016.
The consent was not publicly notified as the activity was considered to have no more than minor adverse effects.
The resource consent report also stated the development needed to be viewed in light of the future industrial environment rather than the area’s rural origins.
Two po¯ hutakawa trees and a garden area will be planted in front of the side of the building facing Hobsonville Rd.
Auckland Council manager western resource consenting Stefan Naude said complainants could file for judicial review at the High Court if they wished to take the matter further.
National Mini Storage was contacted for comment.