High profile move to tidy up Takapuna's reputation

New York Marathon winner Allison Roe is co-founder of a new group which aims to make Takapuna "Auckland's premier village by the sea".

Roe and international businessman Guy Haddleton said yesterday they had formed Takapuna 2020 to get a unified vision for future development. This was in response to widespread despair among fellow Takapuna residents that inertia is paralysing progress.

Meetings arranged by Roe found that many residents, landowners and businesspeople think "Takapuna is a disgrace. There is a realisation, too, that if we don't take action now it will be too late," said Mr Haddleton.

The emergence of the Super City would either potentially doom Takapuna to oblivion or be the catalyst to resurrect it as a thriving community.

The Super City had enormous capital investment decisions to make, some of it likely to come from selling assets such as Auckland International Airport or Takapuna public car park.

"North Shore City owns $25 million of Takapuna land and building, excluding the sea front, that can either be realised for the direct benefit of its community or for the benefit of Auckland, or for the benefit of both."

Mr Haddleton said it was important that Takapuna was well catered for in present capital investment plans.

The group aimed to gather thousands of supporters for getting a $40 million investment in capital improvements by 2020.

Yesterday the pair sought an urgent review of budgets for Takapuna from city councillors hearing submitters to the draft city plan 2009-2024.

Council officers said a review of improvements was under way and there would be money in the draft plan for those projects given priority. The city plan included a number of important upgrades for CBD streets and lighting. As well, the first stage of improving the city's heart - Hurstmere Green - was scheduled for 2013-14.

But Takapuna Business Association general manager Peter White said the council's decision to defer $24 million of projects in Takapuna would only further hinder it developing into a premier destination. The beach area had 700 businesses and more than 40 vacancies in the CBD.

Mr White said disturbing research showed residents in Takapuna's catchment - from Campbells Bay to Devonport - now spent less than 7 per cent of their total spend in Takapuna.

In a report, Takapuna Community Board chairman Martin Lawes said the recession's effects on residents was reflected by their concerns at project spending and by the business sector "as witnessed by the approaching 100 to-lease signs in Takapuna CBD".

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