No say for public on towers
The application for the development of two high-rise towers in suburban west Auckland will proceed without public notification.
The towers, which comprise ten storeys of mostly one-bedroom flats, have been proposed for Glen Eden.
Developers applied for nonnotifiable resource consent to build the blocks of apartments adjacent to the railway tracks and cemetery.
If given the go-ahead, the apartment blocks would house 168 oneor two-bedroom units and townhouses along with carparking, retail space and some outdoor space for residents.
Auckland Council has agreed to allow the application to go ahead without public notification because it says the environmental impacts would be minimal, there are no special circumstances and there are no ‘‘adversely affected people’’.
The proposal was a shift away from what was already in the immediate surrounds but there were no adverse effects, duty commissioner Justine Bray said in her decision.
There is no maximum height which currently applies to the site.
But the Waitakere Ranges Local Board has labelled the buildings a radical proposal.
The plan for twin ten-storey towers raised many concerns, especially as the height would be more than what was allowed for in the Unitary Plan, the board said.
‘‘With most apartments being one bedroom the development will favour young residents. We would prefer to see some threebedroom apartments and a greater mix of apartment sizes so that all stages of life are covered and a more mixed population live in the area.’’
Many of the issues the new Unitary Plan addresses have been contentious - such as so-called ‘‘upzoning’’ of traditional suburbs to allow for more apartments and townhouses.
Figures from Statistics New Zealand show the number of people living in homes has decreased markedly to an average of 2.7, prompting experts to call for smaller dwellings.
In its submissions to the council, the Waitakere Ranges Local Board voiced concerns on potential traffic generated by Glen Eden’s proposed towers in an already heavily congested intersection. The board objected to the application going ahead without public notification.