Mission Bay grand plan sparks hot debate
It’s big and bold — but not everyone’s a fan of the $200 million multi-storey housing and retail development planned for one of Auckland’s favourite beach suburbs.
The design for Auckland’s Urban Partners proposal to develop a 6527sq m block the company owns between Ta¯maki Drive, Patteson Ave and Marau Cres in Mission Bay has been described by experts as conservative, pragmatic, too art deco, or not enough.
More than 100 apartments and townhouses, a 2920sq m hospitality and retail space, up to 265 car parks and a 955sq m cinema complex with four or five theatres, all across seven buildings of varying heights up to seven storeys, are planned.
Urban Partners this week lodged a resource consent application with Auckland Council to demolish existing commercial buildings and flats.
New Zealand Institute of Architects communications manager John Walsh said the Buchan Group design was conservative and pragmatic.
“It’s not art deco but it’s kind of appealing to that art deco feeling or sentiment . . . in architectural terms it’s not that compelling, because it’s neither/nor.
“It’s happening . . . in an outspoken district that’s been quite determined to resist too much intensification, so it’s a softly, softly approach.”
Mission Bay Kohimarama Residents’ Association chairman Don Stock said they had serious concerns over the height, bulk and visual dominance of the development, and effects on homeowners.
A petition launched on change.org to “preserve Mission Bay’s art deco architecture” had only 44 signatures by yesterday.
University of Auckland School of Architecture and Planning senior lecturer Bill McKay described the development as “a bit Gold Coast” which could’ve been more sensitive by not taking over the whole site with similar-looking buildings.
Greater Auckland deputy director Patrick Reynolds said there were too many car parks. “Those car parks will destroy the utility of any buses on Ta¯maki Drive . . .”
Mission Bay redevelopment project director Doug Osborne said car park numbers were determined by council requirements for a minimum number to support retail, and to meet those required for apartment owners.