An issue causing hot discussion either here in the blog or in the wider community
First General Overview starting with The Centres, Terraced Housing and Apartment Zone, and Mixed Housing Urban Zone Coming back to one of the more if not the most critical … Continue reading What I would like to see in the Operative Unitary Plan – Residential and Centres
Please Vote – Please If there was ever a reason to vote this would be it: Rather than focus on The Unitary Plan which is complex and affects … Continue reading Why You Should Vote
If the NIMBY‘s Can Mobilise – So Can We I believe I can say what started as all happy and keen at the Council Unitary Plan media briefing on … Continue reading The Need for an Alliance – to Progress Auckland
Voter Turn Out Worrying Low! It is already worrying parts of the Unitary Plan got bottled in parts of Auckland. This means Auckland wont be advancing to the … Continue reading Oh Dear – Face-Palm Material
Not Amused Sorry After a good couple of days with positive news for South Auckland as investment and growth flow into the area, the negative news strikes again. I … Continue reading Initial Reaction to the Unitary Plan Changes – For the South
Next Phase Begins Today marks the day that both the Unitary Plan starts the formal notification process and the Auckland Design Manual being launched. Here are the front pages to … Continue reading Unitary Plan Released for Notification – Auckland Design Manual Now Live
Wave of Positive News for an Area that often gets downtrodden on by other parts of the City I picked up this real nugget of a gem this evening … Continue reading South Auckland – The Rising Jewel in Auckland’s Crown
I noticed a Facebook status from Councillor Cathy Casey this morning which caught my surprise. The status message being: “Looking for a house under $400,000? Head to Papakura.”
I am like going – okay and oh bugger.
From the NZ Herald today
Survey reveals where all the cheap houses are
By Alanah Eriksen @AlanahEriksen 5:30 AM Saturday Sep 28, 2013
House-hunters looking for a home under $400,000 should steer clear of the North Shore, where only 7 per cent of properties sold last month fell into that price range, and instead look at Papakura.
Real Estate Institute figures compiled for the Herald reveal how many homes were in that first-home buyer bracket in the regions of New Zealand’s main centres.
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As of Tuesday, buyers hoping to qualify for KiwiSaver‘s first-home subsidy cannot buy homes for more than $485,000 in Auckland, $400,000 in Christchurch city and Selwyn district, and $425,000 in Wellington city.
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Papakura is the place to look for first-home buyers, with 60 per cent of its on-the-market homes priced under $400,000.
The realestate.co.nz website, which lists homes for sale with all the major real estate companies, shows 221 listings in Papakura priced at less than $400,000.
Real estate agent Ken Kallil, of the LJ Hooker Papakura branch, said he had seen a huge influx of first home buyers searching in the area over the past year.
“If people are going to come to Auckland, spend $1 million on a three-bedroom villa with no section at all in Ponsonby, well for the same amount you could come down here and buy somewhere in Papakura, Wattle Downs sort of area, a five-bedroom brick [home] on a good-sized section.”
He said in off-peak traffic, it took only 20 minutes to drive from his office into the city.
Real Estate Institute chief executive Helen O’Sullivan said: “I think the data indicates that there are properties available in the under $400,000 category if buyers are able to be flexible as to location and property type.
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You can read the full article over at the Herald site
Why oh why though they need to advertise that fact about Papakura? 😛 As Mr Kallil of LJ Hooker said there had been an influx of first home buyers looking in the area. That will drive the value of the properties around here up but also my rates bill as well… :p Ah well suppose it had to happen some time.
Rates grief aside though Papakura is one of Auckland’s hidden gems that while rough around the edges, a bit of spit and polish and the area is pretty good. Papakura is where I reside with Rebekka in our first home that we got for $282,000. It got us a do-up 3 bedroom ex army house on a 510m2 section in a good area of Papakura. While the garden looks like a wild-field of weeds from the winter (which also makes good chicken food as we have chickens) the house is looking good as we continue the renovations.
These are some of the things Papakura has going for it as an attractive place to live:
There are things which need to be done to Papakura to spruce it up a bit more such as: upgrading the Papakura Town Centre and building the Glenora Road Station in Addison. But, for the most part we are happy here and have no intention in moving from the area soon.
For those looking for work away from the CBD (thus the commute) there are several employment hubs both commercial and industrial nearby (with more being built or proposed). Our primary hub – the Manukau City Centre is a decent place to go shopping, scream your lungs out at Rainbows End, soon visit the Te Papa North facility or even expand your education with AUT and MIT in the area.
So those who do not fall for the Champaign tastes on beer budget syndrome there is quite a bit to choose from in Papakura. Granted some houses need a bit of work but hey its your own home 😀
What to Expect from September 30 This post looks at the preparations and what to expect when the Unitary Plan is released for Formal Notification on September 30. I … Continue reading The Unitary Plan – What to Expect from September 30
I caught this article in the NZ Herald yesterday on my so-called favourite second topic: Auckland Transport. Actually two articles caught my attention and I seriously wonder if I am having a case of De-ja-vu here in regards to Auckland‘s Transport.
The two articles of notice were these ones, both from Mathew Dearnaley:
Starting with “Public transport decline threat to future funding,” this is what had to be said:
From the NZ Herald
Public transport decline threat to future funding
Auckland’s public transport patronage continues to languish.
Trip numbers over the past 12 months ended 3.3 per cent lower than for the previous year.
Patronage to August 31 amounted to 69.2 million passenger trips, down from the previous annual figure of 71.5 million, according to a report to Auckland Transport’s board yesterday.
Trains accounted for the largest proportional loss, down 7.5 per cent to 10.1 million trips, despite the added contribution of the new Manukau line.
Even so, rail is starting to show a slight recovery, after its annual patronage drop from almost 11 million trips.
It notched up just over a million trips last month, 1.7 per cent higher than in August last year, despite one fewer business day.
But much more is needed, making a promised new fares strategy all the more pressing.
The Government requires Auckland Transport to have almost doubled its annual patronage to 20 million trips by 2020 before it will accelerate its 50 per cent funding for the city’s $2.86 billion underground rail project.One encouraging statistic is an improvement in punctuality. Close to 89 per cent of trains arrived at their final destinations in August within five minutes of scheduled times, up from a 12-month average of 86.2 per cent.
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Just a quick note; going back over the Prime Minister’s speech in regards to that 20 million figure it was also stated that if AT could show around 8% growth in rail patronage year in year out then the Government would look at starting the CRL around 2018.
To the main matter though what is seriously going on and why does this issue keep popping up.
Regular and historic readers of Talking Auckland would have read here at the blog of the ups and downs we have had with Auckland Transport. At the same time there has been copious amounts of (and not solely from the blog either): public flaying, constructive criticism, submissions, feedback, presentations to committees, lobbying and even meetings to try to offer what assistance once can give to help get our public transport systems (especially rail) back on track.
The results? Two fold:
Still from the NZ Herald piece:
Trains accounted for the largest proportional loss, down 7.5 per cent to 10.1 million trips, despite the added contribution of the new Manukau line.
Even so, rail is starting to show a slight recovery, after its annual patronage drop from almost 11 million trips.
…
Even there the recovery is at risk of stalling again.
So what to do folks because I am now seriously lost after nearly two years of trying. Anything that would get patronage realistically back up gets shunned while anything that would be a detriment to patronage happens (otherwise patronage would not have slipped as far as it has).
$3.3b by the time the project gets started and there is a risk of a further blow out – owing to history some of our civic projects. This was noted in the Herald article “Rail delays threaten big blowout.”
I am sure I have said the Rail Fallacy would occur with the City Rail Link using comparisons from other projects overseas – and I could still end up being correct despite earlier ridicule on the matter. The Rail Fallacy Commentary previously mentioned on Talking Auckland can be found here: https://voakl.net/tag/rail-fallacy/
Do I want the Rail Fallacy to occur with the City Rail Link though? HECK NO! But pragmatism and harsh reality I must also bear in mind – kind of like risk management. The Rail Fallacy acknowledgement in part was me running a crude risk management exercise across multiple levels on the CRL. At least this way I knew/know the risks and can adapt for it accordingly where required.
Put it this way, at least if (political) reality bites and The Rail Fallacy does happen I was certainly most prepared – unlike others. I would also say this was good business sense in play too.
In the end though unless Auckland Transport pulls finger I am going to struggle to see how the CRL will not start until 2020. Oh and for those like ATB who might put their faith in the EMU’s. Having flash new trains will provide some kick but not the silver bullet needed to bring the CRL forward to 2018. No amount of new rolling stock will counter: getting stuck behind the increasing amount of freight trains with out the third line fully complete, fare products not lined up properly and missing simple links such as the Manukau Rail South Link to attract more actual patronage. So again AT needs to pull finger and get the right things done – no excuses.
Final remark
Trains accounted for the largest proportional loss, down 7.5 per cent to 10.1 million trips, despite the added contribution of the new Manukau line.
Hmmm – waiting for that South Link that will feed real numbers in the Manukau Line and station… Lets try and not keep the wards of Manurewa/Papakura and Franklin waiting much longer please AT. There is a pent up demand waiting for a direct service from Pukekohe/Papakura to Manukau via the South Link and some modelling I ran estimates that 20 minute, 7 day a week services using that link would mean patronage levels rivalling our Ellersile and Glen Innes Stations. So lets try and get this built in the upcoming Christmas Block of Lines – okay – please.
Talking Southern Auckland 