A proposed development of 49 units, at the top of College Hill through to Dublin St at the rear, does not comply with the operative Unitary Plan and Dublin St residents say the over-height building will overlook outdoor living areas in Dublin St properties and cause shadowing. Residents also want all construction access confined to College Hill, with no access at all from Dublin St. Construction is expected to take around 18 months and residents are opposed to Dublin St being used for daily deliveries, including heavy earth-moving equipment and materials.
This land is designated a Special Housing Area therefore limited notification is required. However, the St Mary’s Bay Association believes that at the very least, the adjoining owners in Dublin St should be notified.
The scale and significance of the effects of the various non compliances will impact heavily on this street of mainly historic old villas.
Property developer, Mansons, applied for resource consent some time ago and the planners report has still not been published. Once available it will be referred to a duty commissioner for an independent review. The SMBA believes that the planners report should be available to affected residents and the association for consideration before a ruling is determined.
Below is a brief summary of the project, highlighting some of the non compliance issues.
1. College Hill – zoned Mixed Use
The proposed College Hill component of the project – 4 storeys with 32 apartments plus a basement does not comply with the height limit of 13 metres. This was established in the Unitary Plan following submissions to the hearing panel, including a submission from the St Mary’s Bay Association. Essentially that height envisaged a maximum of 3 storeys on this the upper portion of College Hill .
At 4 storeys the development is totally out of scale with all other buildings in the upper part of College Hill (i.e. above New Street). For example, the adjacent building, Pennington Flats, is 3 levels, Colenso 3 levels, the former Post Office is 2 levels and other buildings at Three Lamps are all 2 storeys.
2. Dublin Street – zoned Single House
The proposal for the Dublin street frontage of the site is for 17 units versus the existing 14 units. This site is zoned Single House, and multi-unit housing is not normally envisaged in this zone .
The existing development on the site has existing use rights which essentially allows redevelopment if the effects are “the same or similar in character, intensity and scale” to the existing building. The proposed development of 17 units is of greater intensity and scale, does not comply with the height limit of 8 metres, site coverage increases to 58% from 44%, compared with the maximum of 25% permitted, and landscaped area is 27% compared with the 50% minimum specified in the Single House zone. Therefore this Dublin Street component has increased height, increased size and site coverage and is not similar in intensity and scale.
Have your say
The St Mary’s Bay Association opposes this proposal and is calling for the consent application to be publicly notified. We also believe the planners’ report to the duty commissioner should be made available. Any other residents who also feel the Manson proposal should be modified to meet existing use rights and the intent of the Unitary Plan can help preserve the unique character of this area and make their views known by writing to:
Mark Thode
Senior resource consents project manager
Auckland Council
35 Graham St
Auckland 1010
mark.thode@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz