Month: July 2014

A Step Closer for the some 3000 Houses to be Built

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First set of Special Housing Area Homes to go up in Hobsonville Point?

 

From Auckland Council

First Housing Accord plan variation to create up to 3000 new homes

 

A group of landowners in Hobsonville have become the first to lodge a plan variation application in an Auckland Special Housing Area (SHA), bringing plans to create up to 3000 new homes a step closer.

If accepted, the proposal will vary 155Ha of the Scott Point SHA for mixed residential and associated uses. This will allow for the development of standalone houses, terraced houses and possibly apartments, and allows for open space, neighbourhood centre and protected ecological zones. The area is currently zoned as Future Urban within the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.

The Scott Point SHA was among one of the first announced following the signing of the Auckland Housing Accord, which provides for the creation of SHAs by Auckland Council with the approval of Government.

This enables qualifying developments in the SHAs to be streamlined and fast-tracked. Three tranches of SHAs have so far been announced, with 63 established in total to date. These areas will help boost Auckland’s land and housing supply including the provision of quality affordable homes over the next three years.

After working with Council’s Housing Project Office (HPO), six of the area’s 38 landowners have teamed up to apply for the variation, which could lead to the development of up to 3000 new dwellings over time.

David Clelland, Growth and Infrastructure Manager at the HPO said: “This is a large-scale project that is challenging because of the many different land owners involved.”

“This plan variation application, one of many we expect to come into the HPO in the coming months, is a significant development because it is the first to be submitted in an SHA,” he said.

“Under the previous process it would have taken many years to reach this point, which highlights the difference the HPO is already making. We now expect the area to develop rapidly once a decision on the plan variation is made in the next six months.”

Mr Clelland said the HPO masterplanning and consenting teams have been working hard with the applicants to ensure that the plans for development respond to the challenge in a practical way that will reflect its wonderful location, context and leave a neighbourhood that is valued by existing and future residents.

Abu Hoque, Harrison Grierson’s Project Manager and Lead Urban Designer for the Scott Point project said: “It’s been a fascinating journey to progress this enormously challenging project involving a large number of private individual land owners and key stakeholders over the last few months.

“Our aim was to identify the most appropriate development outcome for the area, so that it can become a special place not only for its residents, but also for its visitors and for generations to come. We are extremely fortunate to have the wonderful people of the HPO beside us, who assisted us throughout the project to make it a real collaborative creative planning and design decision making process.”

—ends—

 

Mean while I got this today as my family are in the Takanini Strategic Housing Area

 

Given that I live in a Mixed Housing Urban Zone area it could be interesting in a couple of years if intensification development were to occur with the Papakura Metropolitan Centre no too far away.

 

Organic Food Waste Trial Gives Insight to Wider Roll Out Next Year

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92% of respondents were positive of the trial

 

From Auckland Council

Organics collection trial offers food for thought for future service

 

 

Most participants think Auckland Council’s planned new organics collection service is a good idea, according to an independent survey of households in the trial.

Halfway through the organics trial on Auckland’s North Shore valuable feedback is flowing in on how council can create a user-friendly food waste collection service with 92 per cent of those surveyed saying the trial is a good idea.

Participants separate food scraps and other organic matter such as paper towels, tea bags and indoor cut flowers from their usual rubbish collection so it can be collected weekly and turned into compost.

Trial participants’ comments are also helping council better understand how people are adapting to the service and what effect it has on waste minimisation, before its planned roll out across urban Auckland.

Auckland Council Solid Waste Operations Manager Warwick Jaine, says the council is

pleased with results so far, but it is also aware that some people have concerns, about everything from the durability, size and fit of the kitchen caddy liners to odour issues from fortnightly council rubbish collection.

“We’re listening to all feedback and investigating solutions, such as maintaining weekly council rubbish pick up for a few years, to help ease the transition when an organics collection is introduced throughout urban Auckland,” said Mr Jaine.

 

The organics collection trial has been running since May, across nearly 2000 households in parts of Northcote, Milford and Takapuna, chosen to largely reflect Auckland’s demographics.

So far 85 per cent of households in the trial have put out their organics bin at least once, while 75 per cent are regular users of the weekly service. Both figures are well above the trial’s participation targets.

In eight weeks, the trial has diverted 31 tonnes of food waste from landfill to be processed into compost.

The trial evaluation includes a survey of randomly selected households in the trial area undertaken by Gravitas Research and Strategy, an independent research company.

A new rates-funded urban organics collection service was one of a suite of projects promised in the council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan of 2012 and is intended to significantly reduce waste to landfill.

 

Survey information

A survey of 337 residents in the trial area undertaken between 4 June and 27 June 2014.

A total of 92 per cent of respondents thought the organics collection was a good idea for Auckland. Of that number, 67 per cent said it was a very good idea, and 25 per cent said it was a good idea. Four per cent said it was neither a good nor bad idea, one per cent each said it was a poor or very poor idea, and another one per cent each were not sure yet or didn’t know.

When asked how satisfied or dissatisfied they were with aspects of the organics collection trial, 87 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with the organics, recycling and rubbish collection service overall as a way to manage household waste.

Another five per cent said they were dissatisfied, while seven per cent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, and one per cent did not answer this question.

The trial evaluation also includes further qualitative research, to explore the initial findings in more depth and a follow up survey at the end of the trial.

—-ends—

 

The new waste collection system which is meant to have three bins (general, recycling and organic) starts in 2015

 

Council CEO Responds In-Kind

· 2 Comments ·

Roughhan writes an opinion, Stephen Town Responds

 

Yesterday John Roughan wrote an opinion piece in the NZ Herald yesterday comparing Minister of Finance Bill English to Auckland Mayor Len Brown over finances.

You can read the opinion piece over at the Herald but below is an introductory excerpt:

John Roughan: Auckland should not lose services

5:00 AM Saturday Jul 12, 2014
Bill English has balanced a budget without ‘random amputations’
English believes the targets serve a greater purpose in changing the way the public service works. Photo / NZ Herald

Auckland is being softened up for a reduction in public services. Something has to go we are told — inorganic rubbish collections, maybe — if the mayor is to keep rates from rising beyond his election promise. Aucklanders should not listen to this.

The Super City was given a mayoral office with more powers than any elected position in New Zealand local government has previously enjoyed. It is our first “executive mayoralty”. The office has the power to draft the city’s budget and the staff to oversee the council’s operations. It has become obvious this week that Len Brown has not used it.

From the time he was first elected he has staffed the office predominantly with political advisers and publicists who churn out press statements and articles about visions and plans for some future “liveable city” in response to every problem that arises in the present.

Meanwhile, the monster bureaucracy created by the amalgamation of Auckland’s previous municipalities goes about its work in its own way at its own pace, not noticeably troubled by any scrutiny from the office of the executive mayor.

When a city is asked to accept reduced services for more cost, in the middle of an economic boom, something is seriously wrong. Staff are suggesting the council will need to find savings by means such as ending inorganic rubbish collections and reducing library hours or park maintenance, to keep rate rises within reason. The council’s limp majority will probably go along with this nonsense.

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Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11292074

 

Now we know people have all sorts of opinions about the Council and its finances. That said a response from the Council – more to the point CEO Stephen Town came through earlier today. This is what he had to say:

Response to the Weekend Herald editorial

Dear Sir

When John Roughan describes the unified Auckland Council as an ‘under-working morass of inefficiency’, what exactly is he referring to? Could it be the $1.7bn in cost and efficiency savings under the new Council, is it the vastly improved consenting times or a better relationship with central government? Perhaps it’s our AA credit rating, historic investment in public transport, or the most stable and low rates rises in decades?

We know we can do better, but we’re also proud of what our staff and Councillors have achieved in three and a half short years – to improve services, keep costs low for Aucklanders and invest for the future.

Over the next 12 months the Council will take the next big step – a 10 year budget aligned to Auckland’s priorities. There will be tough choices ahead for our city’s leaders. But as the Mayor has said, it’s also a historic opportunity to transform our city for the better. That’s something that’s worthy of a thoughtful and informed discussion with Aucklanders – and something we hope the Herald will want to be part of.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Town
Chief Executive
Auckland Council

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Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1407/S00238/response-to-the-weekend-herald-editorial.htm

 

The debate continues

 

Expressions of Interest for Quay Street Upgrade Called For

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Lets see what the local, national and international community can come up with

 

Yesterday I had blogged on the City Centre Integration Group update on where things were with Quay Street.

From my From the Auckland Development Committee post:

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City Centre Integration Update – Monthly update

  • Downtown Precinct Framework: subset of opportunities that builds on the City Centre Master Plan and Integrated Transport Program (being some mentioned)
  • One of five frameworks under-way
  • Draft Downtown Precinct Framework to seek consideration in August Auckland Development Committee
  • Provides finer detail and strategies on how the downtown precinct interconnects with other City Centre projects
  • Sea Wall needing upgrading due seismic activity with upgrade under way.
    • Full upgrade to start next year but options to be considered on work scheme required
    • Sea Wall upgrade will take into sea level rise and climatic change situations
  • Quay Street identified by the City Centre Master Plan as an important project for the City that Council wants to get under way. An Expression of Interest is out to the market (see Downtown story update). Multi-agency role and review of the contenders for the Quay Street project
  • Quay Street:  undergrounding the street for intra-regional traffic movement while open space above? Possibility especially with Sea Wall major upgrade. This was mentioned by Councillor Mike Lee especially as Quay Street is used as a freight thoroughfare for Port of Auckland’s North Auckland and Northland freight traffic
  • Quay Street: Transport solutions for the east-west arterial. Councillor Brewer seeking reassurance on traffic flows for the area.
  • Councillor Fletcher: Looking at public space provisions. The want to humanise Quay Street and the concepts will look at the pro-humanisation approach. That is the socialisation and interaction in the area.The agencies and Councillors have been positive and willing with the Downtown Precinct and Quay Street upgrades.
  • Public consultation on Quay Street: unknown until Expression of Interest is complete
  • Aotea Station in regards to North Shore Line: No definite proposals or thinking on-line designation

…

 

First mention of the Expression of Interest for Quay Street was made a fortnight ago at a briefing by the Deputy Mayor, and Urban Design Champion Ludo Campbell-Reid which I picked up here: A Story of Downtown Auckland [Updated]

 

Late yesterday the Council put out a presser signally that they are now looking at Expressions of Interest for Quay Street.

From Auckland Council:

Auckland Council seeks designers for redevelopment of Quay Street

Auckland Council is seeking proposals from designers to assist with the future redevelopment of Quay Street. 

Quay Street has been earmarked for change under the City Centre Master Plan – a blueprint for the future use of the central city. 

The council is issuing a request for expressions of interest from design consultants. 

Concept designs for development of Quay Street will be considered by the Auckland Development Committee, and Aucklanders will have an opportunity to have their say before designs are finalised. 

“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a great waterfront and city centre, and we need the best designers working with us as we develop our proposals to transform this area,” Deputy Mayor and Auckland Development Committee Chair Penny Hulse said. 

City Centre integration general manager Rick Walden, said the project was at a very early stage. “As options are developed we will be seeking input from the wider community.” 

The council aims to complete the appointment of a design team in November. 

 

Background 

  • A draft ‘Site and Context Analysis’ report was prepared in September 2012 with the purpose of developing a baseline understanding of Quay Street to inform the design process
  • A ‘Design Framework’ was then completed for the Quay Street Project in June 2013
  • This work included a draft concept design for Quay Street’s streetscape upgrade and aspirational conceptual proposals for the Ferry Basin, Admiralty Basin and Ferry Building promenade water’s edge areas
  • The project has since progressed through a period of co-ordination and integration with other related Downtown projects and developments
  • The request for expressions of interest document will be available on Tenderlink www.lgtenders.co.nz and GETS http://www.gets.govt.nz/

—ends—

 

Lets see what the design community comes up with before the short list goes out for public submissions