growthfeature 13MahurangimattersOctober 14, 2015

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gettingdenser localmatters.co.nz/Features/GrowthFEATURE

Imagining Warkworth’s future

Retaining characteristics that define the town will be key. These include:• the ability to access and use the

river and improve the water quality

• The treed environment – a key element of the residential character is dwellings and development nestled amongst established trees

• Retain the elevated hill features that surround the town, which form a green edge to the developed area

• Encourage areas of native vegetation along the northern side of the river and cloaking the Dome hills

To accommodate population growth,

O’Connor Planning Consultants director Burnette Macnicol has more than 15 years of planning experience, is an accredited hearings commissioner, lives locally and loves the outdoors. Here are her views on Warkworth’s growth:

Connected and liveable - Burnette Macnicol

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In this issue we continue the debate on what Warkworth should look like in 30 years time. Last issue we covered Mahurangi Matters cartoonist Craig Powell’s dream of an electric tram system in Warkworth; Nicola Jones’ wish to

commentonlineHead to localmatters.co.nz to tell us your vision for Warkworth’s future by commenting on the story.

bring the Mahurangi River back to the heart of the town; Councillor Penny Webster’s vision for a thriving tourist town and artist Joy Bell’s concept for a mosaic capital.This time we hear of Warkworth planning consultant Burnette

Macnicol’s ideas for a walk-able, bike-able town; Southern Paprika owner Hamish Alexander’s pitch for an affordable township; Glasshape director Mark Forrest focuses on the need to grow infrastructure in Warkworth and Warkworth School

pupils let us know what kind of town they want to inherit.

a range of living environments will be required to cater for young families and the growing retiring population – a ‘one size fits all’ approach is unlikely to achieve the desired outcomes in a manner that uses our land resource efficiently.As growth occurs, we need to ensure that we create liveable spaces that are

well connected in all senses – servicing, reserves, cycle ways and pedestrian networks. Key links within the town need to be preserved and enhanced such as the McKinney loop. We need cycleways and pedestrian networks that co-exist on a separate network to the road network, enabling people to move in and around the town in a safe and healthy way. Urban design needs to be factored in to new development so we achieve high quality urban growth in an efficient way – we can have smaller sites interspersed with reserve areas and the connections mentioned above.We need a vibrant town centre area catering to all ages and stages, which is more pedestrian-friendly and with key links to the river to enable more

enjoyment and use of this special space.Community gardens and fruit trees on under-utilised reserves could add value to open space areas and fulfil a community need to provide fresh fruit and vegetables.This vision can be realised with a collective community vision that people support and through ongoing positive consultation and communication with community groups, developers and Council.The greatest change will be an increased population living in a denser and intensified residential environment, along with associated outcomes such as increased traffic and noise. It will be difficult to maintain our ‘country feel’.

growthfeature14 Mahurangimatters October 14, 2015

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Glasshape is a Warkworth company with an international reputation. Founded in 1986, it focuses on the design, manufacturing and supply of specialist glass solutions from its base in Woodcocks Road. Financial director Mark Forrest shares his views on the area’s growth issues:

Local planning imperative - Mark Forrest

Warkworth population growth in the last 10 years has been 1000. To consider expected growth of 1000 per year for 30 years is daunting and will need very careful planning. Warkworth will be the size of what Gisborne, Wanganui or Timaru are now. Warkworth will become an important service centre because of its strategic position half way between Auckland and Whangarei. Instead of one secondary school, there will be at least five and the same for primary schools. A large shopping centre dominated by national retailers will be established, (unfortunately Stockyard Falls was a little premature for the population) and the current town centre will survive by becoming a tourist service area dominated by boutique shops, cafes and restaurants facing the river. In terms of immediate challenges, infrastructure needs to be fixed for the current needs, let alone for the future. Industry must be provided for to develop local jobs for the local population, otherwise traffic build up into Auckland in the mornings will become worse.SH1 currently divides the town, separating the schools and industrial area from the main residential area, causing traffic build up with parents driving their children to school for safety. We also have the Hill St corner congestion. I would like to see the

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main road through-traffic diverted west of the current road, starting at a roundabout, near Valerie Close, with a new route joining into Evelyn St, Mansel Drive, over the river, across Falls Rd, continued behind the industrial buildings on Hudson Rd, and joining SH1 north of Timberworld. This could be aligned with the proposed bypass to Matakana and Snells Beach Roads. This has the advantage of fixing the Hill St corner traffic problems and can be developed without interfering with the current

traffic flows. It would make the town safer for students, access to schools and would also give access to develop the proposed southern residential zone area in the Unitary Plan, providing a route for that residential area to access the new motorway without causing more traffic through Hill St corner. It would provide access to develop a much-needed larger industrial zone, behind the current Hudson Rd industrial area. All these areas will have to be developed for the expected Warkworth growth. Put the road in

now to fix the current traffic problem. The current sewerage system needs to be moved away from the river. This will make the river cleaner so the wharf area can be developed to attract tourists. The biggest change that the expected growth will bring will be social. No longer will everyone know everyone else with a small tight knit community having each generation passing through the same school. Growth is good. It brings more choice, more competition, more services, more local job opportunities and less need to commute to the city. But it is vital that structure planning is completed early. We don’t need anymore ad hoc developments and pockets of retail and commercial zonings. We need to identify early where the main retail complex should be, identify where the new schools will be, identify the potential main traffic flow routes, identify where the sewage system should be positioned, and identify a suitable industrial zone suitable for larger buildings to attract larger industry employers. The local cemetery is full so we also need to identify where the new cemetery should be. Once these main land requirements are identified and secured, the future growth will happen in a more orderly manner. Abridged, full letter at localmatters.co.nz

growthfeature 15MahurangimattersOctober 14, 2015

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“ As one of the larger employers in the Warkworth area, we see the issue around affordable housing as a key issue for the Auckland Council to address as it is not something successive Governments have done in NZ for many years (since probably the 60s).In the mainstream media, the issue is usually about paying higher wages to people so they can afford a better standard of living. But, in all my years as an employer, I generally see any extra pay staff get going to landlords who are the only ones getting richer, generally from tax free capital gains. Whilst Warkworth has become unaffordable to many, Wellsford is

quickly catching up, so where to next? This is an Auckland wide issue. How can the factory workers of south Auckland afford what is currently happening to them?Affordable housing, and by that I mean houses people can afford to buy in the Auckland region, is non-existent and Auckland’s future as a prosperous city depends on it. Only when the flow of rich new immigrants slows and all the workers have been forced out of Auckland will Council realise its mistake. But as we all know, this issue will be forced on another future set of Councillors, not the ones currently with their heads in the sand.

What do you like most about Warkworth now?The environment, living close to school, the shops, the sports, skating around the streets, school, “it’s a cool community”, lots to see and do, animals in the countryside, close to Auckland, it’s a beautiful place.What would make it better?While some students thought it was perfect the way it was, many were keen to see a swimming pool built.

Other things on the wish list were a bigger skatepark, a footpath to Sandspit and a circus. Two students said what they didn’t want was any more big shops.If you work in Warkworth when you grow up, what would you like to do?Be Prime Minister, game designer, professional footballer, accountant, surgeon/doctor, paddle boarding teacher, Tupperware salesperson, builder, work in a museum, be a teacher.

Bring on the circus - Warkworth Primary School

We asked some Warkworth Primary School students to give us their views on Warkworth’s future and here’s what they told us:

Affordable housing is key - Hamish Alexander

Hamish Alexander’s company, Southern Paprika, started in Point Wells, where he and his wife Robyn still live. Southern Paprika is New Zealand’s largest single site glasshouse grower of quality capsicums and is one of Rodney’s largest employers. Here are his views on Warkworth’s growth and the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, in particular:

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