New town centre plan unveiled for Auckland's Flat Bush

Auckland mayor Len Brown said the new Ormiston town centre will become the heart and soul of the Flat Bush community. Photo / Natalie Slade

A new town centre is planned for a big South Auckland site, once known as Flat Bush.

Auckland Council Property and Todd Property Group made a joint announcement today of plans for a 19ha greenfields site in Manukau City.

The ex-Flatbush Town Centre site has been renamed Ormiston in a move which distances the project from the now-failed plans launched in 2007 when Manukau City joined Melview Development's Nigel McKenna.

Those plans for the town centre never eventuated when the global financial crisis hit and McKenna's dreams faded, so today mayor Len Brown said the area would be a high growth zone.

"The last decade has seen thousands of people make Flat Bush their new homes and it is a priority to deliver these Aucklanders a town centre they are proud of.

"I believe the Ormiston Town Centre will tick all the boxes, a place to work, play and live as well as a place that becomes the heart and soul of the community and an exemplar for new high quality developments as proposed in the Auckland Plan," Brown said.