Neighbours fail to stop $100m Ryman plan

The Cornwall Park Trust board wanted Ryman's scheme redesigned. Pictured is chief executive of Rymans Healthcare Simon Challie. Photo / Natalie Slade

Neighbours have failed to stop Ryman Healthcare getting consent for a $100 million-plus village between Auckland's Greenlane and One Tree Hill.

An independent hearing panel, chaired by Karyn Sinclair, has given consent for the project on the site of the former Kingsgate Logan Park 220-room hotel where Ryman will build up to 16m high.

Neighbours complained about construction effects, earthworks, rock excavation, dust, vibration, blasting and damage to homes, building height, proximity to site boundaries and the effects on views towards One Tree Hill.

Glenda Toon lives immediately adjacent to the site in Korokino Rd and she will look over the development on the southwestern boundary. She told the panel about losing her view of Rangitoto Island and is worried about noise and vibration from construction, parking and traffic issues, the visual effects of the big new buildings and the effect on the birds from the loss of big trees on the site. Other neighbours expressed similar concerns and raised the issue of lava caves being discovered beneath the ground.

But the panel's report cited Ryman's geotechnical investigation and assessment as saying there was no evidence to indicate the presence of voids or lava caves.

The intensity of proposed activities, shading of adjacent properties, loss of privacy, volcanic cone viewshafts, ground stability, contamination including asbestos, effects on infrastructure, stormwater discharge, iwi consultation, community liaison, operational traffic and parking and the taking of ground water were other issues raised at hearings held into the proposal for 187 Campbell Rd.

The Cornwall Park Trust board wanted Ryman's scheme redesigned so buildings fronting Campbell Rd were moved further back and carparking at the front to be removed, all in the hope of retaining mature trees.

The panel decided adverse environmental effects could be remedied or mitigated by consent conditions to the point where they were no more than minor. The proposal was consistent with relevant planning documents and the Resource Management Act, it found.