Waikanae's Ferndale subdivision residents highlight issues with Summerset retirement village

Entrance to the Ferndale subdivision in Waikanae. Photo / David Haxton

Residents of the peaceful Ferndale subdivision in Waikanae don't want heavy vehicles using their main road to create part of a retirement village nearby.

A number of people from the Ferndale Residents Association attended a Waikanae Community Board meeting on Tuesday where group spokesman Peter Knight outlined objections to the proposed new Summerset retirement village which is going through the planning stages with Kāpiti Coast District Council.

He said the group opposed three specific activities including use of Ferndale Drive for all construction traffic for phase two of the development (about half of the development) lasting over two and three years.

"Ferndale Drive is clearly unsuitable for construction traffic, and the effects, including safety of children and residents, are unacceptable," Knight said.

A viable alternative access for construction traffic would be via council's recycling/greenwaste collection site in Park Ave, he said.

The other two objections were an extension of Ferndale Drive as well as an exit-only connection from the Summerset village to Ferndale Drive.

Ferndale Drive. Photo / David Haxton

He said the effects to the drive and neighbourhood would be "more than minor and conflict with the special recognition that the Ferndale precinct has in the District Plan".

Knight said council's discretionary powers to issue resource consents didn't extend to the Summerset proposal which was "significantly different to activities defined by the Ngarara zone structure plan particularly in respect of a connection to Ferndale Drive".

The Ferndale subdivision, comprising about 62 properties, was one of a few select residential areas specifically identified in the District Plan.

It had been selected to "recognise and protect the unique nature of the subdivision which was arrived at through a publicly notified process namely a private plan change in 2008".

"The plan change process led to approval of a quite unique development.

"It was ground-breaking at the time.

"There are many restrictive covenants which apply and residents have bought into this development because of the protections that are in place which have created a high standard, high amenity, environmentally friendly development.

"Ferndale is a people friendly development.

"It was designed as a low traffic, low speed environment and has design features including swales, narrow roads, a compact roundabout and minimal road markings which act to create and maintain the low speed pedestrian/cycle/child friendly environment that has developed."

John O'Sullivan, the founder of Summerset and developer of Ferndale, said the issues had to be publicly notified.

Council's place and space group manager James Jefferson said he would relay the feedback to the council's regulatory team.