Robert Matthews of Orewa overlooks the site of the huge new housing estate. Photo / Alex Burton
Neighbours are rallying against two housing developments on Auckland’s North Shore as high-density plans start to affect the city’s outer suburbs.
Residents in both Orewa - where a planned 201-house development has more than doubled in size - and Beach Haven are trying to block the intensive housing schemes, which they were informed about just before Christmas.
However, an advocacy group for more quality high-density housing argues it is unfair for existing residents to “lock out” potential future neighbours and says such developments are needed to increase housing supply in desirable areas.
Orewa’s Rob Matthews has been spearheading a group of residents in the seaside suburb who are opposed to upscaled plans to develop a large site that borders his street.
Locals originally believed that 201 homes would be built on the 24ha site in West Hoe Heights.
That was until the residents of nearby Boocock Crescent got a letter in the post late last year. It said the developer now planned a much bigger scheme: 467 homes in a housing project dubbed Strathmill.
“This does not fit in with the surrounding area,” Matthews complained, expressing fears about more traffic and a strain on transport and water if the planned development goes ahead.
“This was put in our post boxes on December 22 for feedback by January 9,” Matthews said. “We always knew that the land would be developed and had no issues with the proposed 201 houses, but the developer has advised that the current consent is not economically viable. So now they would like to squeeze 467 houses in the same area which is a 132 per cent increase.”
Lawyer Madeline Wright wrote to homeowners identified as being adjacent to or affected by the development. She described how developer Shildon was applying for consent for the subdivision and home building of the Strathmill development under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) law.
Shildon would be happy to discuss the project, the barrister said, and provided a copy of an architectural masterplan and a street view of how the project might look once completed.
Project manager Andrew Allsop-Smith told the Herald the 467-lot scheme was intended to align with the new medium-density residential standards introduced into the Resource Management Act and to help meet Auckland’s housing demands.
“From the developer’s perspective, it is an appropriate number given the large, 24ha size of the site. Developing the site in this way avoids under-utilisation which in turn helps to prevent urban sprawl, he said.
The business was working closely with many technical experts to ensure necessary infrastructure to support the development, that the design was in keeping with the surrounding area, and that effects were appropriately managed, Allsop-Smith said.
The changes are in line with Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan, the Government’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development, and changes to the Resource Management Act, which all support a far denser city than in many existing suburbs.
Coalition for More Homes spokesman Oscar Sims said increased housing in Orewa with a range of different sizes would allow more Aucklanders to choose the sort of housing that works for them.
He said the coalition supports the provision of more housing supply, and thought it was unfair for Orewa residents to “lock out” potential future residents.
“The beach is a big part of Kiwi culture, and we don’t think it’s fair that existing residents can lock potential future residents out of living in desirable areas - not everyone can afford a large house,” Sims said.
However, Matthews argued that the scheme was a mismatch for his suburb and said the area lacked schooling, shops, public transport and sewerage to support it.
“This new development does not fit within the current surrounding neighbourhood as the houses planned are between 70sq/m to 166sq/m and the surrounding houses are minimum of around 180sq/m.
“The developer has stated that 201 houses is not economically viable for them. This should not be an issue for the current residents surrounding this area. This is the developer’s problem and the fix should not be to squeeze as many houses as possible into the area. This is not a solution,” Matthews said.
Matthews has complained to local MP Mark Mitchell and is doing all he can to stop the 467 properties from getting consent.
Fellow Boocock Cresent resident Kirsty Guy was also against the development and said nearly 500 more homes will “add a great deal of additional traffic to what is currently a nice quiet family area”.
“I understand the need for development but the number of homes being proposed and the type, sounds a lot like the idea is to create high-density, small residences similar to what is being built in Awa Hills by the motorway, which isn’t attractive and is in no way in keeping with any of this land’s surrounding neighbours,” Guy said.
She also didn’t believe residents were given enough time to respond.
“Not to mention it was a less than happy notice to receive two days before Christmas. It was unpleasant and felt very sneaky,” she said.
Some 30km south of Orewa’s Boocock Cresent, residents in the suburb of Beach Haven also found out about densification shortly before Christmas. An application has gone to Auckland Council for an 81-residence project at two sites: 96 Beach Haven Rd and 13 Cresta Ave. That hasn’t been granted yet.
The 7147sq m site that now has three dwellings on it so 81 apartments is a shock to locals and opponents.
Hamilton’s Da-Silva Builders proposes the scheme. Attempts by the Herald to contact them were unsuccessful
Four three-level blocks are planned, resulting in studio, one and two-bedroom places. The application notes the land is a single house zone, therefore developing the apartments would be a non-complying activity so consent was needed, consent documents say.
The apartment blocks infringe height rules in the Auckland Unitary Plan, according to the assessment of environmental effects lodged with the council.
Planning experts Barker & Associates submitted a report to the council from the developers, saying: “The proposed development provides for greater density than what is provided for by the single house zone, however, it is consistent with other developments within the immediate surrounds. Furthermore, the development is located on a rear site and therefore there will be limited views of the proposed buildings from the wider environment. The site layout has been carefully considered to provide buildings that are visually interesting.”
Crispin Robertson, a local, said around 200 residents opposed the scheme “and this is growing. There are approximately 30 affected houses, most are single-storey, so there will be a massive effect. We’ve organised a village hall meeting next Thursday.”
Petitions against the plans were going to Kaipataki Local board, councillor Richard Hills, Northcote MP Shanan Halbert and former National MP Dan Bidois, Robertson said.
“It’s boiling up to be quite big hopefully. Obviously, we are looking for as much traction as we can get: more submissions, publicity, etc would be amazing. All of the locals surrounding the land always thought something would happen but this is massive,” Robertson complained to the Herald.
Robertson lives on Cresta Ave and access to the site will be off his street.
Asked if he was being a NIMBY, he said: “All the residents were expecting development but it’s a family area. It’s not one where if you live in a one-bedroom apartment, there are no close amenities. You’d expect those smaller places to be in Glenfield or Birkenhead rather than a proper suburb and village like Beach Haven. We were expecting something of lower intensity.”
A young couple had just bought in his street in the last year and their deck will face the apartments: “Balconies will overlook their deck and living space. It has a material effect on people. Some apartments won’t get any sun during afternoons.”
He is also worried about pressure on sports clubs, traffic and parking issues. The developer plans 63 car parks and Robertson wonders if that will be enough.
Disquiet from existing homeowners over Auckland’s densification is likely to become more vocal as planning rules allow more homes on smaller parcels of land.
The Government, National and many others want councils to allow people to build as-of-right up to three homes of up to three storeys on most sites in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, and Christchurch.
Law changes introduced with the support of both Labour and National MPs prescribe medium-density residential standards for three storeys and three dwellings per site as of right.
Under law changes supported by both Labour and National, developers have been given more flexible height to boundary standards as well as greater building coverage, the right to create dwellings with smaller private outlook spaces and reduced yard setbacks, particularly front yards.
Sims, of Coalition for More Homes, said the group would generally prefer developments happen closer to a city centre and that we build “up” more than we build “out”.
“But more housing supply will make housing more affordable,” he said.
Sims added the supply of housing has been the biggest factor in determining rent prices, which was “especially important with the cost of living pressures many Kiwis currently face”.
“Underprovision of infrastructure by local government has been a consistent problem. However, this is a reason to build more infrastructure, not a reason to block housing,” he said.
“It is worth pointing out that outlying areas of Auckland like Orewa are already targeted for better transport improvements, including under the Climate Action Targeted Rate.
“Many of these developments are happening on the city fringe because regulations have historically made it difficult or impossible to build new medium- and high-density buildings in central Auckland.”
Other large healthcare hubs near the site include Southern Cross and Auckland Eye.