Council gives up its view of Waitakere ranges

The Waitakere City Council is allowing its property arm to build eight office and retail blocks in Henderson, despite concern that the buildings will spoil views from the $38.5 million civic centre.

Mayor Bob Harvey says councillors endorsed earlier plans by the council's wholly owned property company Waitakere Properties to build, lease and manage the commercial and retail blocks on the new Waitakere central site in Henderson Valley Rd.

The first of the eight buildings - a three-storey project - will be finished in November.

Mr Harvey said councillors had the chance to review the designs for the development in a confidential session at last Thursday's council meeting.

Councillors reconfirmed their support for the project which will bring an estimated 1000 jobs and complement the council's relocation of its office with 700 staff and its civic chambers to the former paper factory site.

"This is the single most important project this city has undertaken so it's not out of the ordinary for us to be updated and to ask any questions."

Mr Harvey said it should lay to rest an "urban legend" that the council was halting the three-storey project at one level to protect views of the Waitakere Ranges from the council building.

However, the Herald understands that when several councillors inspected the building three weeks ago, they became alarmed that views of the ranges could be blocked.

There also was concern that the civic centre would be overwhelmed in the cluster of new buildings.

In response, council chief executive Harry O'Rourke prepared a confidential report for Thursday which said the council was liable for breach of contract and compensation if it changed its mind.

The development was expected to recover the cost of buying the land for the Waitakere Central project.

A council spokesman said the discussion was confidential because of commercial sensitivities.

He said there was unanimous agreement for the development to go ahead as planned.

Waitakere Properties' Greg Parker reported good interest from prospective clients in what he said was the first significant mixed-use commercial development in the city for 20 years.