Help Plan NZ’s Largest New Town

People are being given a unique opportunity to help plan stage two of Flat Bush – New Zealand’s largest new town.

Flat Bush, in the south-east of Manukau, could be home to at least 40,000 people by 2020, a similar population to Nelson. About 10,000 people already live in the first part of Flat Bush.

Now public feedback is wanted on draft plans for stage two that show a proposed street pattern, street block and property sizes and where housing, shops and parks will be. Flat Bush residents will receive a summary of the draft masterplan, there will also be public open days and online feedback at www.manukau.govt.nz/flatbush.

The first section of land in the stage two area is expected to be released for development later this year, after a district plan change.

Stage two of Flat Bush covers 350 hectares, in an area south of Flat Bush School Road and east of Murphy's Road, as well as vacant land around Barry Curtis Park. It does not include the Flat Bush town centre, which council company Tomorrow’s Manukau Properties Limited (TMPL) is developing plans for.

Manukau City Council Urban Design Principal Specialist Bruce Harland says a feature of the draft masterplan is a large park around the existing Murphy’s Bush. It would have playing fields and create a buffer zone around the ecologically significant bush.

“Close to the new park would be a neighbourhood centre based around Flat Bush School Rd. This would include a main street shopping centre, a mix of housing types and a primary school within walking distance of each other.

“Another feature is a mix of a grid street pattern and park-edge roads. The draft masterplan proposes rectangular street blocks that are 60m in depth, meaning property sections would be 30m, with backyards that are at least 9m.

“The council wants to know if people believe the proposed street blocks would allow sufficient flexibility for current and future housing needs.

“Feedback is also wanted on the draft masterplan in general and other features like how different types of housing should be developed. This is people’s opportunity to help shape how the second stage of Flat Bush will be developed,” Mr Harland says.

People can go to www.manukau.govt.nz/flatbush to read the full draft masterplan and give feedback. Or they can come to an open day to discuss it with council officers and give feedback.

Public open days - Old Flat Bush School Hall corner Flat Bush School Rd and Murphy’s Rd, Wednesday 28 April 4 - 7pm. Wetlands Playground at Barry Curtis Park (Stancombe Rd end), Saturday 1 May 1 to 4pm.

The draft masterplan proposes:

A mix of park-edge streets and a grid street pattern

The park edge roads allow for bigger neighbourhood park areas around the green fingers and for houses to look out on them.

The more traditional grid-like street pattern contained in the draft masterplan follows the lines of Flat Bush’s original roads, like Ormiston, Chapel, Murphy’s and Flat Bush School roads.

Straight streets provide better views, for example people would be able to see a park at the end of the street, rather than just houses. They also make it easier to get around.

Roads are likely to be wider than some of those seen in Flat Bush stage one, detailed design will include measures to keep speeds low.

Rectangular property blocks

Rectangular property blocks would allow flexibility for the type of housing that can go on them. This would mean that over a long period of time properties could be easily re-developed, if necessary, from detached to terraced housing or apartments while maintaining high quality living environments.

Property blocks are proposed to be at least 60m deep, which means each section back to back will be 30m deep. This would allow for larger backyards and mean 18m minimum distance between houses, creating extra privacy and opportunities for more trees. Feedback is wanted on whether the 60m proposed block depth allows sufficient flexibility for current housing needs or if the council consider a shorter minimum block depth.

Rules to encourage high quality housing

Rules aim to ensure greater levels of privacy and high quality living environments. The majority of housing in Flat Bush is likely to be the traditional detached home, which would have 420sqm sections, 4m front gardens and 9m backyards.

For other types of housing individual properties would range from about 300sqm for semi-detached to between 180 and 260sqm for terrace housing. Apartments would be limited to five-storeys.

More parks
An increase in open space and parks is proposed for the second stage of Flat Bush. This includes creating more park area around Murphy’s Bush and playing fields nearby to create a large Murphy’s Park.

ENDS

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