New planned rental tower (right) with the existing Sentinel apartment tower (left) in the heart of Takapuna. Photo / McConnell
Locals have nicknamed a planned $300 million 39-level rental apartment tower Burj Takapuna for fear of its dominance but what irks them most is that it won consent on a non-notified basis.
That means no one had any say on the 350-unit tower for the old gasometer site near the existing 30-level Sentinel.
But developer Tony McKee of McConnell Property running the project said Auckland Council’s Urban Design Panel supported the height which was unrestricted in that area.
Devonport Takapuna Local Board chairperson Toni van Tonder was also supportive along with local councillors and the tower would be a huge benefit to the area, McKee said.
Dr Lee Beattie, duty commissioner, decided on September 18 that the new tower’s resource consent application could go ahead on a non-notified basis, partly because Takapuna is ear-marked for intensification. He also granted the consent.
“The building supports the role that Takapuna plays as a metropolitan centre, with high-quality design that complements the coastal character,” last month’s decision said.
“The length of construction, at three years, is considered reasonable given the scale and nature of the project, and management plans in place offered by the applicant during work will ensure adverse effects are minimised.”
The shape and form of the tower and choice of materials assist in mitigating visual dominance and it creates a well-proportioned landmark building.
The tower is to rise on a site of just over 2000sq m at 14 Huron St not far from the Sentinel apartment tower, beside the new council car park.
That site is between Huron St and Northcroft St.
Plans drew criticism on the Takapuna and Milford Facebook community page, people saying it was too dominant and too tall, would cause shade and wind and monster the suburb.
Plans submitted by applicant Gasometer Developments were likened by one local to the Burj Khalifa, Dubai’s 830m skyscraper. He called the planned North Shore tower ‘Burj Takapuna’ in reference to the Middle East block.
That new Takapuna tower is to be 152.6m, potentially affecting views to the west at the Sentinel.
Not all aspects of the plans meet controls for the metropolitan centre zone of Takapuna. But a commissioner has the right to grant consent under restricted discretionary provisions.
The height of the new tower at nearly 153m exceeds a 72.5m standard and will result in wind conditions changing, the consent document said. McKee said on breaching height provisions, the 72.5m control is only one aspect which applied. But the Takapuna sub-precinct zone rules allowed unrestricted height for the new tower.
The podium won’t be built to the site frontages, as required. The outlook space for the north-eastern face of one level is partially obstructed by a stairwell and a service riser was non-complying.
Sixty-four one-bedroom units will be 42sq m with a 7sq m balcony where a minimum floor area of 42sq m and an 8sq m balcony met the standard.
The tower will take more than 24 months to build, meaning its consent is restricted discretionary. Removing five trees more than 4m tall within the Auburn St road reserve is another restricted discretionary activity along with noise and vibration while the tower is under construction.
Lack of bike parks was another reason for special consent: only 215 secure long-stay bike storage spaces are proposed whereas 360 are required. The proposed ramps between car park levels do not fully comply, along with other aspects including vehicle crossing and dewatering, the consent decision said.
All these aspects can be allowed if the duty commissioner agrees and he did, saying the actual and potential effects of the proposal were acceptable.
Gasometer Developments was incorporated last September and is owned by McConnell Developments of Quay St. McConnell’s directors are Nicolaas Den Heijer and Craig Haycock.
The Sentinel is 30 storeys and around 150m tall.
Haycock of McConnell said the tower was designed by Warren & Mahoney.
“This has been a fairly long-term process, for the last two years and there’s been quite a lot of community support and engagement and some global benchmarking on design and amenity and what creates successful built-to-rent from a global perspective,” Haycock said.
McKee said three parties are behind the scheme: Brisbane-headquartered Cedar Pacific is the fund manager, Auckland’s McConnell Property is the development manager and Australasian Essence Communities will operate the block as rental apartments.
These parties comprise the consortium which bought the site from Auckland Council’s Eke Panuku.
On April 23, Eke Panuku’s priority location director north, Kate Cumberpatch, said the land sale delivered on the agency’s regeneration plans and would bring more housing supply and choice. Auckland councillors Richard Hills and Chris Darby welcomed the development.
Toka Puia is the new 420-space car parking block beside the planned new block.
McKee said the planning infringements were only minor and the tower would be a huge asset to Auckland.
The building’s exterior colour was a reference to the sandstone cliffs of the area. The building was yet to be named.
The new building will have a top amenity floor where residents will gather, with outside decks.
“Our roof will be 10m higher than the Sentinel roof,” McKee said comparing the two blocks.
Views from the Sentinel wouldn’t be blocked by the new building: “People will look past our planned building once it’s finished, just as people in the Sentinel will look past this new block.”
Mathew Brown, an architect formerly of Warren & Mahoney who designed the new block, said that as a large development, the new building would contribute positively to the streetscape and pedestrian experience.
The podium was shaped to create wider areas of footpath, providing public places for entry, as well as external spaces for use by food and beverage, and retail tenancies. The floors above are stepped to reduce the effect of the size of the building on the public realm and to provide terraces for resident use. This stepped form, combined with the soft texture of the brick façade is a reference to the sandstone cliffs of Takapuna, Brown said.
The tower was designed to maximise views across the Hauraki Gulf, toward Rangitoto and Coromandel.
A broad face is oriented northeast, with the footprint tapering toward Auckland City to the south. The result is a slender form, set back from the street corners, Brown said.
“The façade of the tower responds to the anticipated construction technology, with high-performance unitised panels enclosing the form. Corner balconies soften the edge of the tower and provide residents with unbridled access to view from their apartments,” Brown said.
McKee said a builder was yet to be appointed “but we could potentially start at the end of next year.” A three-year construction phase would mean the building might be finished by late 2027, he said.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
Other large healthcare hubs near the site include Southern Cross and Auckland Eye.