KEY POINTS:
Whangarei District Council is in the final stages of approving a Marsden Point-Ruakaka Structure Plan that includes the creation of a Marsden town centre south of the deepwater port in the Ruakaka district.
The plan is expected to be adopted by the council in November this year after public consultation.
The new town of Marsden is projected to have a population of 40,000 within the next 25 years with the port and associated industries providing 18,000 jobs.
Oliver Scott, director of North Holdings Group, who is a prime mover in the development of the Marsden-Ruakaka area, says the adoption of the plan provides an opportunity to create an ideal new town from scratch.
"Most cities aren't planned, they just happen," Scott says. "This project gives us the opportunity to do it right and plan a town from the beginning. We're starting with a blank canvas and planning for the sustainable development of a beautiful, highly functional future city of 40,000 people.
"There are few places in New Zealand with such a perfect combination of features to design a new place for people to live, work and play.
We have the business and the industry and employment opportunities that will be associated with the country's only natural deep water port and that will be sited on flat, easily developed land within 90 minutes' drive of Auckland - the nation's biggest city - and enhanced by nearby idyllic beaches, boating and fishing."
Marsden town will occupy around 40ha with the proposed rail corridor running down the southern side of the site. The town centre will include a rail and road interchange, and integrated bus services for the district.
With its surrounding residential, institutional and open spaces, the greater area of the town will cover about 120ha.
Scott and Tony Jelas, of TR Developments, are partners in the development of Marsden town centre. They say planned public areas within the new town "will set new standards in the integrated design of streets, boulevards, parks, plazas, open spaces and natural landscapes.
"We have engaged Sydney-based town planners and urban design consultants Ross Bonthorne and Woods Bagot," Scott says. "They had a significant role in the design of the Rouse Hill regional town centre in Sydney's northwest that won many awards for sustainable and environmentally sensitive urban development."
Scott is also developing Northgate Industrial Park adjacent to the proposed Marsden town centre, on the other side of the planned new rail link to Marsden Pt.
"We now have sales for lots within Northgate of over $46 million despite a slowdown in the property market in other parts of the country," he says.
Peter Jennings, sales manager of Realties Property Brokers, the master agent for the Northgate Industrial Park, says sales of the industrial lots originally started at $150 per square metre but, with the earthworks now progressing, they have shot up to $220 per square metre.
"This is still about 50 per cent lower than comparable rates for industrial land in areas like Tauranga, Te Rapa, Mangere, Mt Wellington, Penrose and Albany," Jennings says.
"However, we are expecting a further increase in the sales price possibly up to $280 to $300 per square metre on the anticipated announcement of the Oakleigh to Northport rail link designation."
Jelas began construction work in the 1960s with the Hopper Brothers at the Coromandel town of Pauanui and created developments in Northland with his partner, Dick Paris, including One Tree Point, Kowhai Lakes and La Pointe Beach Estate.
Jelas has worked with Hopper Developments and the Whangarei council to create Marsden Cove marine village. Earthworks for Stage II are in progress in the $850 million residential waterways project, that will be controlled by a remote canal lock, and which comprises 41 waterfront sections and 35 non-canal sections.
Jelas says the Marsden town centre's environment will also be enhanced by the careful planning and construction of lakes and waterways.
The plan calls for "sustainable urban drainage" to ensure that stormwater, and wastewater where possible, is discharged into the ground or into catchment areas.
Wastewater will be treated to a high environmental standard at a soon-to-be constructed wastewater treatment plant that is a joint venture between Whangarei District Council and the developers.
The treated water will be recycled for use in industry and for watering lawns and gardens which will reduce the need to draw on the town's drinking water system.
Large open spaces, including a proposed linear park, will act as water retention areas capturing stormwater which will link to the existing regional water system. Wastewater which is not reused will be directed to a reinstated Old Ruakaka Lake and other waterways as clean water.
The rejuvenated lake will serve as a new habitat for wildlife and as a recreation area for the community.
A linear wetland system related to the stormwater management areas will also create living areas for wildlife and birds all along the linear park. It is proposed that the stormwater retention areas in the parks will perform a dual function by also acting as playing fields in dry conditions.
"We will plant large amounts of native and mature trees to attract bird life into the community, " Jelas says.
Scott says the open space network forms a major feature of the Marsden town centre with a series of natural buffer zones and the "linear parks" designed to reduce the impact of adjacent industries and the activities of Marsden Point port.
A new linear park will run from east to west as the central focus of the town centre and many "discrete parks" within the linear park will be used for residential, community and school uses which may include sports grounds for rugby, soccer, cricket, softball, netball, tennis courts and smaller sports grounds for lawn bowls or croquet.
Provision will also be made for sites on which to build indoor sports buildings and clubhouse buildings.
A formal parkland or civic garden will be planted to the centre of the linear park featuring New Zealand's indigenous vegetation and landscapes and a large "adventure activity area" will be located close to residential neighbourhoods.
A secondary linear park system is proposed within the residential neighbourhoods that will feature individually differing characteristics according to their uses and the species of trees and shrubs planted.
The local parks may include playgrounds, community gardens, child-care facilities and picnic areas allowing for informal recreation areas.
The structure plan also envisages the "connectivity" of all the areas through a network of linked cycleways and pedestrian paths to places like the Marsden Cove marine village along with "cutting-edge green solutions" such as alternative energy sources for street lighting.
Wherever possible, a low-speed traffic environment will be applied within the town centre that is "conducive to a safe and secure pedestrian and cycle-way environment".
The overall aim of the development is to "minimise the use of non-renewable energy sources by maximising wind, solar and water harvesting opportunities".
Scott says Marsden town centre will contain all the ingredients needed for an ideal living environment like a full central business district, libraries, educational and community facilities and social centres.
The project is also designed to minimise reliance on cars. A bus network will be a central feature of access to the town centre and will provide connection to the port, One Tree Point, Ruakaka and nearby communities.
Scott says construction of a rail link for passengers and freight between Oakleigh, to the west of Marsden town centre and Port Marsden, to the northeast, is "vital to unlocking the future economic development potential of Northlands".
The proposed rail link will pass to the southern side of Marsden Town Centre and is the result of joint venture between the Northland Regional Council and ONTRACK.
Primarily the railway line is proposed as a freight link establishing an important new route for the transportation of goods to and from Port Marsden and the associated industrial areas including the Northgate industrial park.
"The rail link will provide the added benefit of improving road safety, reducing road congestion and associated travel delays," Scott says.
"It is intended that in the longer term and when a passenger service is established, that a new passenger train station be located in the Marsden town centre transport centre."
Scott believes the developed Marsden Deepwater port, complemented by the new Marsden town and Northgate industrial park, will become "a second Tauranga" and assist in relieving the current congestion of export products and freight through the Ports of Auckland.
