Auckland's future? 53-apartment proposal for Takapuna

The apartments are proposed for 32 and 34 Tennyson Ave, Takapuna.

A graphic image of how Auckland streetscapes are changing under the new Unitary plan is provided by one big proposal on the North Shore.

In a quiet Takapuna street, filled with single and double-storey homes on full sites, plans have been proposed for two big five-level apartment blocks filling two sites side-by-side.

Auckland Council has notified the application to build the blocks at 32 and 34 Tennyson Ave, meaning the public has a chance to voice their opinions.

The neighbourhood street runs parallel to main thoroughfare Esmonde Rd and ends in the peaceful area of the Shoal Bay mangroves. The end of Tennyson Ave where the development is planned is a cul-de-sac.

How 32 Tennyson Ave currently looks.

"The surrounding area is residential in character, containing a mix of single-storey and double-storey dwellings," acknowledges the assessment of environmental effects of the new blocks.

Plans have been notified for public feedback because part of the blocks exceed the maximum 16m permitted height as well as height-to-boundary rules, documents submitted to the council show.

"The proposed apartment blocks are five storeys of residential height with two split levels of basement carparking. The building accommodates a total of 53 residential units which comprise 15 one-bedroom units with and without study, 29 two-bedrooms units and nine three-bedroom units," documents show.

Units will range from 43sq m to 84sq m, according to plans proposed by Loxley Hall Development.

"The proposed development provides a total of 43 parking spaces, including six pairs of stacked parking in the two level basement. The basement also contains storage lockers, bicycle stands and rubbish/recycling collection area. Car park spaces will be allocated at unit title, however six units will be provided with the 12 stacked parking spaces (two each), 31 units will have one space each, and the remaining 16 units will not have a parking space," documents show.

The property at 32 Tennyson Ave has two residential dwellings and 34 Tennyson Ave has one. All three will be removed and the site cleared.

The apartment blocks will be connected via pedestrian bridges. One apartment building fronts Tennyson Ave and is designed to orientate towards the road. The second is at the rear of the site and will be obscured from the road by the front building.

See: site location here

"Part of the proposed development exceeds the permitted 16m maximum height limit. In addition, some areas of the both apartment buildings extend into the respective height in relation to boundary recession planes," the assessment of environmental effects said.

The apartments will only be about a five to 10-minute walk away from Takapuna's central area, it said.

The public has until June 8 to make views on the scheme known.