Submissions open on remainder of quarry site

Auckland City has today notified on behalf of the Environment Court, and at the court's request, an application received by the court under section 293 of the Resource Management Act (RMA), relating to the future development of the floor of the former Mt Wellington quarry.

The application, from Landco Mt Wellington Ltd (Landco), the owners of the former quarry, arises from an appeal to plan change 7 to the council's District Plan, isthmus section. The application is open for public submission.

The application proposes to rezone the bulk of the quarry floor from the former quarry zone (business 7) to a primarily residential 8 zoning, to enable residential development.

Quarrying activities at the site ceased some years ago and the rezoning of land on the rim of the quarry at Lunn Avenue to business 4 and part of the quarry to residential 8 occurred in October 2004.

The court has agreed to consider the application by Landco to rezone the remainder of the quarry floor. If the application is successful it will mean that the land could be developed as a mix of residential uses, open space, a school and a town centre to support the residential community and the adjacent and recently completed netball facility.

Auckland City supported the application going to the court on the basis that it would be a publicly notified process.

An integrated range of transport and roading improvements will be timed to complement growth in and around the Mt Wellington quarry and the wider Tamaki Edge area.

The application, which proposes changes to the original plan change 7, includes a structure plan, which identifies the location of the various zones. The structure plan identifies a proposed lakes system for stormwater to ensure ongoing protection and management of the local catchment, and provides for a range of open spaces, a new primary school and a town centre to support the residential community in the quarry. It includes a proposed roading hierarchy and layout.

Under the proposed provisions, development in the site will be subject to a high level of urban design assessment.

It also includes relevant objectives, policies, rules and assessment criteria for the site.

Submissions on the application must be lodged by 18 September 2006. They can be posted, lodged in person or made electronically on the Auckland City website, as per the details below.

By post:

Auckland City Council, Private Bag 92516, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1036

Attention manager, City Planning, Isthmus and Islands resource management

In person:

Level 11, Civic Administration Building, 1 Greys Avenue, Central City

Electronically:

www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/submission. Conditions apply as detailed on the website.

A section 293 application is provided for in the RMA in relation to an appeal to the Environment Court. Section 293 of the act allows the Environment Court to direct changes to be made to District Plans as part of an appeal process if a reasonable case has been presented in support of the change. It provides an opportunity for participation by persons affected by the proposed amendment(s) to the plan change.

As part of this process, the court may specify the persons who may make submissions to the change and may require the council to give public notice of any change and of opportunities to make submissions.

This is the first time such an application has been made to the court in relation to an appeal to a plan change to the Auckland City district plan. It should be noted that a special submission form has been developed for this application to ensure that the court receives the required information. This form is available on the website and at council libraries listed below.

Unlike a plan change, there will be no opportunity for further submissions after this notification process. Under section 293 of the RMA, submissions go directly to the Environment Court. Any enquiries regarding the process should be directed to Auckland City's duty planner on 09 379 2020. Alternatively, you should seek independent planning or legal advice.

Background information to the application and the original plan change 7, and the submission form, can be viewed free of charge at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/isthmusplan or during business hours at the following locations:

• Level 11, Civic Administration Building, 1 Greys Avenue, Central City
•
• The reference section, Central City Library, 44-46 Lorne Street, Central City
•
• Glen Innes Community Library, 108 Line Road, Glen Innes
•
• Panmure Community Library, 7-13 Pilkington Road, Panmure
•
• Otahuhu Community Library, 12 High Street, Otahuhu
•
• Remuera Community Library, 429 Remuera Road, Remuera
•
• St Heliers Community Library, 32 St Heliers Bay Road, St Heliers.
•

Submitters can also phone the duty planner, City Planning, isthmus and island resource management on 379 2020.

Once submissions have closed, Auckland City will prepare a summary of submissions, which will be forwarded along with the submissions themselves to the Environment Court. This will include a statement outlining which parties indicated in their submissions that they wish to be heard by the court.

The Environment Court will then convene to determine the process from this point.

Ends

© Scoop Media