Moy Place, in Ōtaki. Inset is Lyall Payne. Photos / David Haxton
Moy Place, in Ōtaki. Inset is Lyall Payne. Photos / David Haxton
Residents in two Ōtaki streets are upset its quiet appeal could see a big increase in traffic if an entrance to a proposed new residential development goes ahead.
Wakefield Group Holdings Ltd wants to build a 183-lot subdivision, called Moy Estate, on 4.9h, at 33 Main Highway.
But the vehicle entrance would go through the quiet Moy Place, via Sue Ave, not from 33 Main Highway (former SH1).
Old plans, when the land was sold, showed the entrance at 33 Main Highway, but the new plans show the entrance at Moy Place.
Residents’ spokesperson, Lyall Payne, said 29 of 30 households, from Moy Place and Sue Ave, opposed the entrance; he couldn’t contact one of the residents.
“We want all access to the subdivision to be via 33 Main Highway.
“It’s commonsense, will be quicker for residents, maintains the safety of the two street community we currently have, and preserves the lifestyle of those people.”
Looking across to 33 Main Highway, Ōtaki. Photo / David Haxton
He said using Moy Place created lots of issues including narrowness for a fire truck if there were vehicles on either side, children’s safety because of a playground on the corner of Moy Place and Sue Ave, and whether the roading was sturdy enough for extra traffic.
Residents were also concerned there had been little ability to communicate their concerns as the process “had been rushed through the Covid-19 Recovery Act,” he said.
Payne said Ōtaki Community Board supported residents’ desire to have access off 33 Main Highway.
And he pointed to part of a cultural impact report by Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki, for Wakefield Group Holdings, which recommended an entrance at 33 Main Highway instead of Moy Place.
“Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki (NHoŌ) are concerned about the effects the traffic movements from the subdivision will have on the peace and quiet of the existing occupants of Moy Place,” the report said.
“NHoŌ are supportive of a good-neighbour approach to any development. We do not believe that directing this volume of traffic through this small cul-de-sac is consistent with being a good neighbour.
“NHoŌ understands that NZTA and council were probably not keen to have another road connection onto the [former] State Highway 1. However, since the opening of the Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway, the main road is more than suitable for an additional connection to the road.
“We believe the plans should be amended so the subdivision has its own connection to the highway, and the existing Moy Place road is not used.”
Sue Ave, Ōtaki. Photo / David Haxton
National’s Ōtaki candidate, Tim Costley, said, “These residents deserve more local support and the opportunity to be heard. They need an opportunity to push pause and re-assess the plans. It makes a lot of sense to leave these quiet cul-de-sacs in peace, and let this new development make its own connection to town ... "
Cuttriss Consultants senior planner, Emma Neal, whose company she works for is preparing the resource consent for Wakefield Group Holdings, said the “number one consideration was safety for all road users”.
“As advised by the project’s traffic expert, there is a direct relationship of increased crashes and access points on to main roads. The road layout through the development connects Moy Place to the residential land to the southwest, which has been designed to connect to Main Highway.
“Providing a new intersection from 33 Main Highway would increase the risk of intersection crashes as well as increasing issues around the separation of potentially five intersections within 450 metres along this stretch of road.
“In addition, Waka Kotahi’s position was that the access to the development should be via Sue Ave which has a designated intersection.
“Further, Sue Ave and Moy Place were specifically designed to accommodate traffic flows from the proposed development of the site, and land has been set aside at the end of Moy Place for the road connection.”
Neal said the secondary consideration “was about achieving good quality urban design outcomes, noting that connectivity is a key urban design principle”.
Artistic impression of part of the proposed Moy Estate, Ōtaki.
“The proposed layout provides for roading connections to the southwest and the north, as well as a pedestrian connection to Main Highway.
“We also worked with Kāpiti Coast District Council and iwi to provide a new public park within the development and a significant amount of landscaping and green space, including a stormwater treatment area along the eastern boundary.
“This feature will not only look good but will mitigate risks of flooding and treat the stormwater runoff.
The project has been approved for referral under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Act 2020 rather than the Resource Management Act 1991, which means its resource consent has been lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and will be assessed by an expert consenting panel rather than the Kāpiti Coast District Council.
Council’s regulatory services group manager James Jefferson said there was no requirement for public or limited notification of applications for resource consents or notices of requirement lodged under the Act.
“However, a panel appointed to consider the applications must, before making a decision, invite comments from people and organisations listed in the Act which includes relevant unitary or regional and district (or city) councils.”
