Selwyn St resident concerned 5-storey luxury apartment will overshadow home

An artist's impression of the Luxridge Apartments on Selwyn St. Photo / Supplied

A Tauranga resident is concerned a five-storey luxury apartment development planned for Selwyn St in the city's CBD will cast a shadow over his entire home.

Selwyn St Luxury Apartments Limited plans to build a five-storey development, including 24 apartments, at 1-3 Selwyn St.

The proposed Luxridge Apartments would feature two lower basements including 50 on-site car parks, a gym, and five multi-purpose rooms.

Blair Graham, who lives across the street from the planned development, presented his concerns to an independent commissioner at a resource consent hearing at the Tauranga City Council, yesterday.

Graham told the hearing commissioner Rob van Voorthuysen, in his submission, that the proposed project would overshadow his home.

Graham, who lives opposite the planned development site, said residents were not opposed to development and accepted there was plenty of development happening in Tauranga's CBD.

More people living in the city centre would add "vibrancy", he said.

However, Graham said the proposed plans were, in his opinion, "misleading" in terms of how much shadow would be cast on neighbouring properties.

In his presentation to the hearing commissioner, Graham said if an estimated 8.5 metre-tall Tītoki tree on the proposed site cast a small shadow over his house across the street then he was "quietly confident" a development planned about 10m higher would overshadow his entire property.

"We acknowledge developments are going to happen," he said.

"But I believe whatever we do right now sets the scene for what Selwyn St will look like in 30 or 50 years' time. It is important for us as residents to get that right."

Morné Hugo, landscape architect and urban designer at Boffa Miskell Limited, told the hearing Selwyn St was a "unique" location and within walking distance to central city amenities.

"I don't think there is a better-located street in the entire Tauranga for this kind of development."

Hugo said the proposed development would create "extremely minor" overshadowing and would be "short-lived".

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Graham Price, also said shading analysis suggested minimal effects to houses on the Selwyn St side of the development.

Price also said the site location was "opportune" for "good inner-city living".

Consultant planner Kate Magill said overshadowing needed to be considered.

Magill said there was an opportunity for a "greater max height" with the National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 via future city plan changes.

The policy statement removes overly restrictive barriers to development to allow growth upwards and outwards in locations that have good access to existing services, public transport networks and infrastructure.

Magill said proposed Plan Change 26 aimed to make it easier for people to build a variety of more compact types of homes like duplexes, terraced houses, townhouses and apartments. The plan change is on hold.

Consultant urban designer, Sam Foster of Beca, told the hearing commissioner he was "sympathetic" to the shading concerns but he concluded the development was appropriate for the site.

The hearing commissioner Rob van Voorthuysen said he would confirm his decision later this week.