North Shore City media release

Design concept given go ahead
August 20, 2007

North Shore City residents and an urban design panel have had their say on the future of Hurstmere Green – and concept ‘C’ by Sills van Bohemen is the unanimous favourite.

Hurstmere Green is an important walkway and reserve in the heart of Takapuna’s central business district.

At their infrastructure and environment committee meeting last week, councillors endorsed option ‘C’ as the preferred option for further development to the initial design stage.

Earlier this year, four concept designs for Hurstmere Green and the approach to developing a palette of materials and furnishings for Takapuna went out for public consultation.

North Shore City Council senior urban designer, John Stenberg, says almost 600 responses to the surveys were received and Sills van Bohemen’s concept emerged as the clear leader.

“The main reasons people went with concept ‘C’ were the strength and impact of the visual linkage to Rangitoto and the sea, the practicality of design, low cost and maintenance, the retention of the Spanish Chestnut tree and its connectivity to the Hurstmere Rd shops,” he says.

In addition to the public consultation, an urban design panel consisting of five highly regarded design professionals was appointed to review the four submissions.

“The panel met on three occasions to review the four designs and unanimously recommended design ‘C’ be taken forward for further development and detailed design,” says Mr Stenberg.

“The consistent themes that emerged were strong views and links to the coast, an easily understood design, and green and vegetated open space.

“Key stakeholders Wiltshire, Perron and AMP Investments have reviewed the concepts and believe they can work within a consultative structure to ensure that Hurstmere Green can appropriately respond to their developments,” Mr Stenberg says.

ENDS

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