Concrete proposal for town's heart

The draft plan of Orewa's town centre project.

Rodney Mayor John Law says a new draft plan for Orewa disproves scaremongering talk that the town will become a beach resort of high-rise towers such as Surfers Paradise.

This plan is a fresh attempt to end years of controversy over an agreeable vision for the development of Orewa, 30 minutes' drive from Auckland City.

A sticking point has been the town's projected population growth from the present 7000 to 19,000 in its urban core by 2050 and how tall new buildings should be.

The draft master plan, which seeks to create a "unique coastal town" sporting a boulevard of trees and cafes, a town pier and reefs for surfing and diving, has come about after workshops with community groups. Yesterday the district council voted to throw it open for wider public comment.

Mr Law said the plan was "an exciting and realistic" vision of Orewa's future. It allowed for buildings of significantly less height than the present District Plan maximum of 10 floors.

It also envisaged 5000 fewer people than growth projections, he said.

"It's an emphatic statement that puts to bed certain scaremongering which suggested we were creating another Surfers Paradise."

But developer Rick Martin, whose Cornerstone Group built the town's only high-rise, the 12-level Nautilus apartment building, said Mr Law was being naive.

"If you are going to live in an apartment in Orewa you want to see the sea,"said Mr Martin.

Apartments without sea views would be worth less and it would not be feasible to build them.

He had plans for further apartment buildings at 42m high - the same as Nautilus, which was completed in 2004.

He did not think the council could win a court argument to stop them, because there was already a building of that height.

Mr Martin said he preferred Orewa to have lower structures on street frontages yet higher towers.

This would result in no more than four or five towers, which provided public outdoor spaces, more parking and retail outlets.

Maygrove Residents Association chairman Tom Mayne said some of the building densities were greater than residents wanted and fine-tuning was needed.

"But unless there is compromise, Orewa won't see development in the CBD," he said.

A street poll of shoppers in Orewa yesterday showed enthusiasm for the idea of developing a planted boulevard out of State Highway 1, which passes between the town centre and the beach.

"I'd like to see more nature strips with lovely trees and walking spaces for people, because it's high traffic and difficult to get across to the beach," said Caroline Douglas.

The chance to "calm" the busy road to link town and beach reserves will come with the Alpurt B2 toll highway opening in 2008.

Transit New Zealand predicts traffic on the main street highway will reduce by one-third, despite its being the toll-free alternative.

But shopper Peter Skulander backed the council's decision yesterday not to press - at this stage - for through-traffic to be diverted after 2008 from the shopping centre via Centreway Rd or Grand Drive.

"I'd be against putting highway traffic through Centreway Rd, which is a residential area and the main route to schools," he said.

"It opens up safety issues."


Tower-free zone

* Provide for 14,500 people in buildings of mainly five floors.
* Tallest buildings set back to avoid shading beach.
* Highway narrowed and turned into a lush boulevard.
* Town square linked to beach reserve.
* Small-scale cafe/restaurant development on beachfront commercial zones.
* A pier and two reefs off the beach to encourage surfing and diving.