Subdivision begins next to retirement village

Subdivision of land at 455 Whangaparāoa Road into 29 residential sites has got Auckland Council approval, with the resource consent noting a number of issues related to the site.

These include a 4800sqm Significant Ecological Area (SEA) of native bush, concerns about silt due to proximity to the Weiti River and access in and out on a busy part of Whangaparāoa Road.

The land, next to The Peninsula Club retirement village, was purchased by the Neil Group around a year ago (HM November 6, 2019). The company was one of the early developers of Gulf Harbour.
Consent to subdivide the 2.7ha site was granted recently by Council staff.

Most of the site is zoned Residential Single House but it also contains the SEA on the Weiti River side.

Consent was granted to remove 245sqm from the SEA, although Neil Group chief executive Phil Ainsworth says that bush had already been cleared before his company purchased the block. In this situation, Council advises, consent is still required.

Overall, Mr Ainsworth says, the proposal will add 690sqm of bush to the SEA.

Neil Group’s application states that the main ecological risk is silt and sedimentation. Council is satisfied with the control measures in place, which include limiting earthworks to the October to April period.

The consent also sets limits on construction noise and dust effects on neighbours. The application was processed without public notification, with the developer stating that “… any potential adverse effects associated with earthworks would generate less than minor adverse effects to neighbouring properties. For this reason, consultation with surrounding property owners or other parties has not been undertaken”.

The 29 properties will be accessed via a new road direct onto Whangaparāoa Road. A new intersection will be formed, requiring the bus stop to be moved slightly to the north, and a footpath and pedestrian refuge island is proposed.

Auckland Transport’s estimation is that “adverse traffic effects on the surrounding road network will be no more than minor overall”.

Earthworks are programmed to commence early next year.