Fewer houses proposed for quarry site

A revised master plan for the $1.5 billion Mt Wellington quarry development will see fewer houses built, a lake retained and a 1.2ha commercial complex shifted.

The new proposal from Greg Olliver's Landco has been endorsed by Auckland City's urban strategy and governance committee, which endorsed the changes but said Landco still had to resolve issues of public transport, open spaces, streetscapes, cycle and pedestrian links and the styles of housing planned.

The council wants a medium to high-density housing development on the land.

The new master plan proposes:

* Reducing the number of residential units planned by 500 to 800, resulting in 2200 to 2500 units being built.

* Keeping a lake to support a wetland and allow for the reuse of stormwater from houses.

* Moving the 1.2ha commercial complex from the centre to be closer to the new Auckland Netball headquarters at Ngahue Reserve.

The committee said that although fewer residential units would be built, the revision met the council's urban design principles.

Committee chairman Bruce Hucker described the quarry as "Auckland City's largest remaining brownfield site" and said it was important to strike a balance between development, open space and community facilities.

Olliver bought the 110ha former quarry site in 2001 from Fletcher Building for $38 million in a deal funded by Strategic Group.

The committee said the former quarry was surrounded by important infrastructure and was a key to managing Auckland's growth during the next 25 years.