Ramping Up Population Intensification Continues In Herne Bay

There is already great concern about further population intensification in Herne Bay.

Opponents of the apartment complex planned for the Gables Pub site are particularly worried about the lack of infrastructure, particularly sewage disposal. There is no separation of stormwater and wastewater in this corner of Auckland City. Raw sewage regularly flows into Cox’s Bay resulting in pollution of the harbour and signs asking people not to swim in the Bay.


Now, while the battle continues over the Gables site, a new development is planned for the corner of Jervois Rd and Lawrence St, where the Erawhan Thai restaurant used to be.


A concept drawing by Leuschke Architects shows an 18 metre high, five storey apartment proposal which will totally fill the site right to the boundaries. It looks as ugly as all hell.


The problem is that the site is zoned Local Town Centre, where apartments are permitted to a height of 16 metres. This is consistent with the Council’s Unitary Plan for population intensification.


Although pictures of the planned apartment were sent to Ponsonby News, I have been unable to ascertain how many units are proposed. It also seems that no resource consent has yet been applied for.


Council officers I talked to assured me questions of suitable urban design, transport considerations, and infrastructure requirements would all be considered before approval was given. No sensible answer was forthcoming about sewage disposal.


Locals I spoke to are concerned about the loss of amenity values if the project goes ahead. They will lose sun, it will cast a huge shadow over their properties, parking is sure to be a problem ( there are not enough places to park now), and crucially that the proposal is completely out of scale and character for the site. It does not look like a community-friendly development, with huge walls facing the streets and neighbouring properties. One neighbour said it looked like a prison.


It is not even certain that the plan will be notified by Council, if all parties at Council decide it meets all planning requirements. I’m sure neighbours will have something to say about that. They are sick of top-down imposition from Council, without sufficient local input.
Most inner-city residents oppose too much urban sprawl, with houses and roads cutting into valuable farm land, and the attendant infrastructural costs of development, but they also call for sympathetic inner-city development which protects their precious amenity values.
Local Herne Bay residents will be watching progress on this proposed development very carefully, and we would urge Council officers to note their amenity value concerns and take them seriously. (JOHN ELLIOTT)