UNITARY PLAN MEETING REPORT

Report on MRA's meeting on the Unitary Plan

Thursday, 4 April, 7.30pm at Milford School Hall

 

A fantastic turnout from Milford people on Thursday 4th. Our estimate was around 450 people in total, with 80 having to stand. It does show just how concerned the community is about the potentially negative effects of the current proposals to turn our suburb into an urban landscape. A number of important Auckland Council politicians attended including Deputy Mayor and head of the Unitary Plan Political Working Party, Penny Hulse, our two North Shore Councillors Ann Hartley and George Wood, Auckland Councillors Wayne Walker and Dick Quax, and the full complement of our Devonport-Takapuna Local Board Members - Chair Chris Darby, Members Jan O'Connor, Mike Cohen, Joseph Bergin, Dianne Hale and Kevin Schwass.

North Shore Times was present so look out for their report in the next week or so. NewstalkZB is also extremely interested and mentioned our meeting in the next morning's news.

Auckland Council Planning Manager, Penny Pirrit, gave an overview of the reasons for the Unitary Plan and the concepts behind it including the Auckland Plan's vision of a compact city. She then confirmed that the proposals for Milford currently include (depending on property size and zone) the ability to build:

  • up to eight storeys high in the town centre zone of Kitchener and Milford Roads with no setback at street level but setbacks from six storeys and above.
  • six storeys in the apartment / terraced house zone immediately around the town centre with a drop to four storeys where the zone abuts the two level mixed and single housing zones. Note that being across the road from the zone does not qualify for the step down so there would be six storeys on one side of the street and two on the other.
  • four storeys in the small apartment / terraced house zone in Wolsley Ave, Rangitoto Tce and East Coast Road.

Council is confident that the Urban Design Assessments which will be applied to all buildings in the apartment / terraced house zone will ensure that these higher buildings will be of high quality and will protect the privacy and daylight within the building and of neighbouring buildings.

Check out the map below or go online to http://acmaps.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/unitaryplan/FlexViewer/index.html

 

Milford UP Map.jpg

 

Questions and concerns

Penny Pirrit faced a vigorous question session from the floor

Problems over answers

What people need to do. Get a submission form and spend time giving your feedback and telling Council what would be an acceptable level of intensification and height for Milford. Closes 31 May 2013.  How do you want MIlford to be in 10, 20, 30 years?  What are the specific inconsistencies you see in the plan?  Quite theoretical