The draft Waitemata Local Board Plan has now been out for a week for consultation and so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Yesterday at a presentation on the priorities, initiatives and projects we are proposing for the next 3 years one attendee gave us a score of 92% (thank you Mr Houtman from OurHood and passionate tram advocate!).

The draft plan is full of innovative and creative ideas put forward by the community that will make the central areas of Auckland the best place to live, work and play. Across all the priorities is a strong sustainability and environmental focus.

We now need to make sure that this initial enthusiasm translates into submissions so we end up with a robust final plan with broad support. And of course we also need to know what locals don’t like in the draft plan. Already a number of areas for improvement have been raised; for example more focus on the needs of older people, clarification about the Board’s role in supporting business and better recognition of Pacifika culture.

Submissions can be made online here

The plan is available on the Auckland Council website or email pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz if you would like me to send you a hard copy.  

Auckland Council Media Release
1 July 2011

Blueprint to shape future of local communities

Better heritage protection, slower speeds on some residential streets, a Parnell to Meola Reef coastal walkway, and a network of cycle ways are among the community priorities reflected in a new local blueprint for Waitemata.

The initiatives form part of a draft local board plan prepared by Waitemata Local Board, which sets out the aspirations and priorities of the communities in Auckland’s city centre and inner suburbs and will guide decisions the local board makes on what happens in the area over the next three years and beyond.

A summary of the draft plan, with a submission form, is being posted to every home in Waitemata in the week beginning 4 July.

Waitemata Local Board Chair Shale Chambers says the ground-breaking plan is a blueprint that will shape the future of the local community.

“From enhancing Pt Erin Pool and developing a coastal walkway to prioritising healthy transport options and moves to better protect our heritage buildings, this plan reflects the priorities of the people of Waitemata as we work towards developing and fostering vibrant, connected and sustainable communities.”

Local board plans, which are being prepared by each of Auckland’s 21 local boards, will feed into other key Auckland Council plans, such as the Auckland Plan and Long Term Plan 2012-22.

“I encourage the people of Waitemata to look at the draft plan and let your local board know before August 8 whether it’s on the right track.  We will listen and decide what changes will be made to the plan before a final version is adopted in October,” Mr Chambers says.

Submissions can be made online at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/haveyoursay, or by returning a completed form to a public library, council service centre or by post using the freepost envelope provided.

Copies of your draft local board plan are available at:       

•         public libraries, council service centres and local board offices
•         online at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/haveyoursay
•         Auckland Council customer centre – call toll free (09) 301 0101

Submissions close at 4pm on Monday 8 August. At a later date local boards will hold hearings to consider submissions.

Andy Smith from Walk Auckland originally suggested Beating the Bounds as a Transition Towns event involving Grey Lynn 2030 and Mt Eden Village People.  He enthusiastically agreed to the Waitemata Local Board adopting the idea as a way of establishing a sense of place.  Andy will be leading us on Saturday 9 April from Meola Reef Reserve.

Media Release from Auckland Council 6 April 2011

Waitemata to beat the boundary

The Waitemata Local Board, with support from Walk Auckland, is to revive an ancient Anglo- Saxon custom called ‘Beating the Bounds’ by walking the 12km boundary of the board area this Saturday, announced Deputy Chair Pippa Coom.

The ceremony, traditionally led by the parish priest who headed a crowd of boys beating the parish boundary markers with green boughs, is seen by the Waitemata Local Board as a modern take on an age-old custom.

“By ‘Beating the Bounds’ of Waitemata we hope to improve residents’ awareness of the local board area, but more importantly we aim to strengthen our community by giving us a sense of place,” says Pippa Coom.

“We have also invited local board members from the neighbouring areas of Albert-Eden and Orakei to ensure walkers do not encroach on the adjacent ‘parish’ as we journey along the shared boundaries.”

‘Beating the Bounds’ begins at 9am, Saturday 9 April, from Meola Reef Reserve at the western-most point of the board area and will continue around the boundary in an anti-clockwise direction. There will be four stops on route and the walk is expected to take approximately four hours.

Members of the public are invited to join local board members at any point along the route.

ENDS

The route: http://goo.gl/maps/rqho

More details of the walk on Facebook

More information about the origins of beating the bounds

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beating_the_bounds

Public spaces were on the agenda of the March meeting of the Waitemata Local Board.

Chair, Shale Chambers was unanimously supported on his motion to ensure developers who have gained bonus floor space in return for public space are required to provide adequate signage.  Too often the public is unaware they have access to buildings and open space areas as right of ways and for enjoyment. For example I was surprised to learn that the space next to a bar in the Viaduct is available for the public to sit and enjoy their own food and beverages even though it currently appears to part of the bar area.

More controversially we considered the Skycity proposal to develop Federal Street as a pedestrian orientated shared space in return for the extension of the existing Skycity conference facilities across the airspace over Federal Street.   Auckland needs to be able to adequately host large conferences and Federal Street is in desperate need of a makeover (mainly because it was badly designed in the first place to interact with street on a human scale).

What we objected to (in a 5 – 2 vote) was the request from Skycity to consider the proposal as one package (ie Skycity demanding the airspace in return for spending $10million on the street). We were right to feel that we were being asked to make a decision on incomplete information as it emerged after the meeting that Skycity are already spending $50million on improvements including three new restaurant frontages on Federal Street. It will be interesting to see if there is support for a roof over the street once the restaurants open and people start enjoying the area in a whole new way.

The next day the Planning and Urban Design Forum chaired by Cameron Brewer recommended that the plans be explored further by Auckland Council, the Waitemata Local Board, Auckland Transport and Sky City designers.

Board acts to reclaim public spaces Media release 9 March 2011

Super City asserts public access rights NZ Herald 12 March 2011

Skycity launches plan for overbridge Auckland City Harbour News 11 March 2011

Lifting the lid on hidden spaces NZ Herald 15 March 2011

SkyCity’s expansion plans endure rough ride NZ Herald 14 March 2011

At our first meeting of the year we supported the Art Deco Society to protect the character and heritage buildings of the Wynward Quarter.

Fittingly, the next day we had our briefing from Waterfront Auckland (the newly branded Waterfront Development Agency) with the opportunity to walk around the current development happening  in the Wynyard Quarter. I was very impressed with the well thought through plans for Jellicoe Street and plaza with an appreciation of the history of the area intertwinned with the design. I particularly liked the inviting people spaces and street scape.

It really brought home the total disconnect of the old Auckland City Council and Viaduct Harbour Holdings in making plans to demolish half of the remaining heritage building in the design for the rest of the Quarter. A total rethink is needed by VHH Ltd.

Media Release: Board acts decisively to protect heritage (dated 9 February 2011):

Heritage issues throughout the central city formed the basis of last night’s meeting of the Waitemata Local Board at the Grey Lynn Community Centre.

The meeting, attended by a large number of local residents, focused on a number of significant heritage issues at the forefront of residents’ minds across the central city.

The meeting included resolutions on the reinstatement project for Three Lamps, and an acquisition proposal for Hulme Court, but the major urban transformation project under development in the Wynyard Quarter was the major focus of proceedings.

“The recent demolition of Turua Street and Coolangatta House are timely reminders of the need to protect our heritage and character buildings before the wrecking ball looms large,” says Waitemata Board Chair Shale Chambers.

“Wynyard Quarter is an area with its own character which derives from its industrial and boating building past.  It was reclaimed from the sea from 1905 and, while the buildings may not be as iconic as many of the scheduled buildings in the CBD, they are an important aspect of the life of Auckland.”

“It may not be our [the Waitemata Local Board's] delegated authority to protect these buildings, but it is certainly our mandate.”

The board voted unanimously to support the Art Deco Society in its endeavours to preserve the Wynyard Quarter character buildings.

Other important heritage issues were also progressed at the meeting.  The reinstatement of the ‘three lamps’ to Three Lamps has finally reached a resolution after being first proposed nearly seven years ago.

It has been agreed that the location of the ‘three lamps’ will be outside the former Ponsonby Club Hotel (now the Gluepot Apartments). It is expected that work on the installation of the lamps will begin following discussions with local residents and businesses.

The Board have also asked that the Chief Executive of Auckland Council give serious consideration to bringing the category 1 status heritage building Hulme Court, currently for sale on the corner of Parnell and St Georges Bay Rd, into the public domain.

The next meeting of the Waitemata Local Board will be held at their Graham Street offices on Tuesday 8 March, at 6pm.

Ends

Read more about here

Council gags Board over secret destruction deal, NZ Herald, 9 February 2011

Mayor out to save heritage pair doomed in secret deal NZ Herald, 14 February 2011