November is your time to Talk Unitary Plan – With Planners

 

Auckland Council have released a web page outlining the open days for the Unitary Plan. I had made mention of these open days at the beginning of the month after the Unitary Plan (and Auckland Design Manual) briefing last month. These open days – after the much teeth gnashing over the earlier feedback period this year are designed to help the 99% of the city who are not planners understand the Unitary Plan.

If you love or give a toss about the city you live, play and work in then I highly recommend going to one of these open days and talk Unitary Plan. Sure it might be as boring as watching paint dry for some but the UP does affect how the city will develop over the next 30 years.

So again I highly recommend going to an open day. I will be going to the one in Manukau for a picking the brains session and see what is going on for the South. Although (rather bashful about it) I probably could give presentations myself on some of the matters covered by the UP (no seriously I could).

 

From Auckland Council

Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan – have your say 

The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan was formally notified on 30 September 2013, marking the start of a public submission period that runs until 28 February 2014.

The proposed plan is a significant milestone in delivering the vision for Auckland to become the world’s most liveable city, with higher-quality and more compact development.

It also ensures that while Auckland grows, we protect our environment and heritage, and keep our rural land productive.

The proposed plan includes a range of amendments to the draft plan that went out for informal engagement earlier this year.

These include changes or variations to maximum building heights in some areas and the creation of a new Mixed Housing Suburban Zone with an 8m building height limit.

There was strong public support for better design, heritage protection and a greater choice of homes in or near the city centre, metropolitan centres and town centres.

In response, the proposed plan has increased the number of protected heritage buildings and identified new special character areas.

There are also stronger rules to improve building design quality, which will be complemented by the Auckland Design Manual.

To help Aucklanders understand the proposed plan, we are holding public open days (see below for timings).

At the open days you will be able to read the plan online or in print, check out displays on specific issues and areas, and talk to experts about any queries you have.

 

Open days for the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan

The below open days will all take place between 1pm and 8pm:

• Orewa Service Centre, 50 Centreway Road – 4 November
• Central City Library, 44-46 Lorne Street – 11 November
• Manukau Civic Building, 4 Osterley Way – 13 November
• Henderson Civic Centre, 6 Henderson Valley Road – 18 November
• Bruce Mason Centre, The Promenade, Takapuna – 20 November
• Franklin: The Centre, 12 Massey Avenue, Pukekohe – 25 November.

Register your interest in attending the open days and view the schedules.

 

Big emphasis here on registering your interest here folks. This is a screenie of the register your interest page and what to expect (of course this is the Manukau session)

 

Long day ahead that is for sure…

 

So again – get a wriggle on and attend one of these open days.