The house in the centre has also now been demolished. Photo / Supplied
Work has started on an Auckland eastern suburbs residential site where a "Neverland-style" of development was once planned and where earthworks will be in part of a precious volcanic explosion crater.
Oceania Healthcare is underway with one of its biggest projects, all homes on the site now demolished and earthworks have started.
But the work means excavation of what has been called "possibly the last remaining portion of the St Heliers explosion crater".
Oceania's head contractor is now preparing the 1.3ha block of St Heliers land for a $130 million six-level retirement village with rest home suites bigger and with more facilities than traditional smaller hospital rooms in other retirement villages.
The site also has extensive views across the inner harbour to Rangitoto Island.
Part of the site was once owned by interests associated with developer Greg Olliver and former wife Sarah Sparks.
In 2007, an intensive residential scheme was planned across many sites there. The first stage was 20 luxury apartments at $5 million each, stepped down a slope in five-tier blocks and with 70 car parks. A new mansion, Waimarie House, was also planned.
The land was also at the centre of a court case involving Sparks and Olliver.
The plans for the "Neverland-style" of project never materialised. Instead, Oceania bought the site which looks towards the home of New Zealand's richest man, Graeme Hart.
The distinctive St Heliers Water Tower also stands above the site.
Earl Gasparich, Oceania chief executive, said today head contractor Argon Construction was on the site and all homes had now been demolished, although one photograph he supplied showed a single home still standing.
"That's now gone too," he said.
More than 110 people will eventually live there.
Oceania's holding has 14 separate street addresses: 12, 14, 14A, 16, 16A, 18, 20, 22, 26, 26A, 28, 30, 30A Waimarie St and 37 Glover Rd.
"Our total investment in the project including land will be approximately $130m. The building will be split over six levels, generally, two to three storeys high plus basement as it steps up the site following the natural land contour," he said.
Auckland Council notified Oceania's application to build on the 14 adjoining sites.
Submitters had the chance to tell commissioners what they thought of the plans "to construct and operate an integrated residential development on the site that will provide for a combination of 31 residential care suites and 76 independent living units, and will result in 35,000m3 of earthworks to be removed from the site, works within an outstanding natural feature, infringements to height and infringements to the construction noise and vibration standards. Overall it is a discretionary activity", the council document said.
Not everyone was thrilled.
"The extensive excavation of possibly the last remaining portion of the St Heliers explosion crater, an outstanding natural feature detailed in the Unitary Plan, is also far beyond what the Unitary Plan imagined and is required only due to the form and nature of the out of character proposal," said independent planning commissioners, summarising views of a number of submitters against the plans.
The St Heliers/Glendowie Residents Association said the impact on the crater was a matter of concern. The Ōrākei Local Board said the proposed earthworks would further destroy the tuff ring which was the reason for the outstanding natural feature designation over the site.
The Unitary Plan says the St Heliers explosion crater "is about 500m in diameter, with a
swampy floor now occupied by Glover Park. The northern crater rim has been eroded to form a sea cliff, in which tuff from the volcano is visible."
The commissioners' final report said: "We accept that while the proposed works will have an impact on the outstanding natural feature, they will be consistent with the established pattern of development and the already modified nature of the explosion crater."
The commissioners cited objectors saying the project was inappropriate in a residential area, conflicted with the two-storey detached housing there, would create damage to an outstanding natural feature and feared sedimentation runoff, vehicle movements, traffic congestion; parking, noise, vibration, dust, amenity and property damage, non-compliant parking, loading and access requirements and the impact on their privacy and afternoon sun.
Some neighbours wanted the project rejected or for it to be built within the limits of height to boundary restrictions or else for more on-site parking provision.
"There will be significant overshadowing of their private outdoor space. Viewed from St Heliers Beach, the development will stand out as an incongruous monolithic three-pronged structure, significantly different from the existing suburban grain of detached houses. The construction process will cause immense problems for the local road network and particularly Waimarie St and Rarangi Rd," the commissioners said of objectors' views.
Another neighbour said construction would cause noise, dust and vibration disturbances lasting several years.
"There will be adverse sediment impacts as all drains flow to the Hauraki Gulf. There does not appear to be enough on-site parking for residents, staff and visitors, which will result in overflowing onto the street. The proposed development is inconsistent with the zoning and the character of the neighbourhood," a neighbour said.
Gasparich said: "Oceania won consent to build 79 independent living apartments and 31 care suites on the site with completion expected by March 2023. The Resource Consent was notified and one of its conditions was the formation of a community liaison group that meets bi-monthly to discuss the project. I would therefore expect the locals to be well informed about progress."
In 2018, Oceania said it initially bought 8945sq m of land in Waimarie St and then got neighbouring properties in the second half of that year to increase its holding to 13,464sq m or 1.3ha.
Gasparich said today no prices were yet set for the apartments or hospital suite rooms "but it will be commensurate with other prices in the area of apartments." Asked if that was $800,000 to $1m, he said "a bit north of that. There's not a lot of villages in that area and being on that crater rim, it's got a nice elevated outlook. It won't be finished until March 2023."
How many people had paid deposits was not stated but pre-sales said to be 'strong'.