|
Whau Local
Board
27 September
2017
|
|
Panuku
Development Auckland - Unlock Avondale update
File No.: CP2017/20612
Purpose
1. To
seek support from the Whau Local Board for the Draft Unlock Avondale High Level
Project Plan (HLPP).
Executive
summary
2. Avondale represents a major intensification and revitalisation
opportunity for Auckland. The town centre occupies a strategic location with
good infrastructure, services and facilities. The area has a number of large
development ready sites and market demand for different housing types including
terraces and apartments. The Avondale Train Station is an important transport
asset supporting redevelopment as it provides convenient access to the
city’s train network.
3. There
is a high level of political and community support for regeneration and
intensification in Avondale. In addition a recent council review of service
needs in the wider area has identified a requirement to upgrade council
services including replacing the existing community centre which provides an
opportunity for a major catalyst project.
4. Avondale
is one of the 10 Spatial Priority Areas identified in the Auckland Plan. It
will contribute to Strategic Directive 10 of the Auckland Plan by increasing
the number of dwellings in the area and creating a well-connected, quality town
centre that local residents take pride in.
5. Council
through its development partners has a track record of enabling quality
development in Avondale. This includes the construction of 72 apartments at
24-26 Racecourse Parade, 33 homes at 1 Trent Street (including 10 affordable
homes) and a proposed Housing New Zealand development at 96 St George Street to
build 102 homes. To have a real and lasting strategic impact the scale of
development will need to be significantly increased.
6. Development
opportunities identified within the HLPP (excluding any potential future
development of the Avondale Racecourse should this be no longer required for
racing) have the ability to create an estimated additional 1000 dwellings. The
final number of houses will depend on design, typology and market demand.
Development of these sites for housing would increase amenity, vibrancy,
safety, connectivity and economic sustainability of the town centre and
demonstrate to the wider development industry that quality medium density
developments in a suburban location can be successfully achieved.
7. The
HLPP builds on significant work completed to date including the Whau Local
Board Plan 2017 and the Avondale Action Plan. It outlines Panuku’s intention
to create a high quality town centre that makes Avondale a fantastic place to
live and invest.
|
Recommendation
That the Whau Local Board:
a) endorse
the Draft Unlock Avondale High Level Project Plan.
|
Comments
8. The
geographical scope of the project covers the central Avondale area, more
specifically:
· The
primary retail area of Great North Road and the commercial area to the east
between the retail strip and the Avondale Train Station;
· The
Avondale central block which contains the Central Reserve, Housing New Zealand
owned land on Racecourse Parade and other key development sites;
· The
Highbury Triangle block which is bordered by Rosebank Road, Ash Street and
Great North Road and contains the existing library and community centre, Housing
New Zealand land and a vacant council owned residential site; and
· The
Avondale Racecourse.
9. The
Council has a number of landholdings within the Avondale town centre as
illustrated on the following map. The yellow shading indicates properties owned
by council, green is council owned reserves, dark pink shows large development
sites owned by Housing New Zealand and the orange is important development
sites currently in private ownership. The total project area is 68 ha.
Figure 1 – Project Area
10. Avondale
was chosen as an unlock location due to the suitability of the area for
intensification and the potential benefits that urban development would have in
this location. To achieve this potential the following issues need to be
addressed:
· The large site in the middle of the town centre
(1909-1949 Great North Road also known as the Bai site) has been vacant since
the late 90’s. This results in a lack of continuity of the town centre
and a perception that the centre lacks vibrancy.
· The existing community facility on Rosebank Road
is not fit for purpose and the library is unlikely to be able to cater for
future growth in the catchment.
· There is a weak connection between the Avondale
Train Station and the mainstreet.
· There is a disconnected local street network.
· There is insufficient council owned recreation
space.
· The connection between the Whau River and the
town centre could be improved.
Strategic
move 1: Enliven the Height of the Avondale town centre
11. To enable
regeneration there is a need to address the identified gap in activity on Great
North Road and refocus the Avondale town centre. There is also a need to
encourage the development of large vacant or underutilised sites that degrade
the overall quality of the town centre. The following initiatives are proposed;
i. Ensure good development outcomes on vacant town centre development
sites through negotiation or acquisition.
ii. Support the building of a new multipurpose community facility in
Avondale. This is an opportunity to create a vibrant heart where the Avondale
community can access many services including the library, community centre,
active recreation, and local events.
iii. Support the upgrading of existing open space areas including
considering opportunities for the relocation of open space within the Highbury
Triangle area and an upgrade of facilities within the Central Reserve
iv. Support a mainstreet/retail strategy and on-going placemaking
activities.
This would much better
align the town centre with the Avondale Train Station and improve the overall
structure of the settlement significantly. These measures will also provide a
catalyst to attract and support quality development within the wider Avondale
area.
Strategic
Move 2: Strengthen community connections
12. It is
important that the town centre maximises the benefit of existing and planned
investment in transport infrastructure and considers the long term development
pattern for the area. The Avondale Train Station is a key strategic asset for
the area and there is an opportunity to improve this linkage. There is also a
need to work with key stakeholders to improve the local street network in a way
that futureproofs for the development of the Avondale Racecourse if racing is
discontinued. The following initiatives are proposed;
i. Pedestrian and cycle connection improvement to the northern side of
Crayford St West to strengthen legibility and access between the train station
and the town centre on New North Road.
ii. Extension of Crayford St West as a two-way street along the Central
Reserve, to improve the activation of this area, support new community
facilities if located here, and a potential future connection to the
racecourse.
iii. Incorporate new street links in HNZ and Council development sites to
optimise the walkability of an intensified residential neighbourhood.
iv. Pedestrian and cycle connection improvement on Wingate Street to
strengthen legibility and access between the Avondale main street and Te Whau
pathway.
Strategic
move 3: Support strong local businesses and enhance service offer
13. Regeneration
requires strong local business businesses and an interesting town centre that
meets the needs of new and existing residents. This will be an important factor
to providing a town centre that is fit for purpose and provides enduring
benefits for the existing community. The following initiative is proposed;
v. Improving the quality of the public realm including creating an
upgraded town square.
vi. Demonstrate leadership by introducing new retail and commercial
spaces to activate important public spaces.
Strategic
Move 4: Provide high quality housing choices
14. Avondale has
the ability to contribute significantly to Auckland housing needs by enabling
additional housing stock and demonstrating how this stock can be provided in a
way that supports wider strategic aims including intensification. Primarily
this will be through a medium density housing type model, which is not the
current predominant form of development in the area. It will therefore be
important to carefully mange the development of housing to ensure appropriate
quality, support positive market conditions for developers and deliver much needed
housing. Issues such as developing a delivery programme will be critical to the
speed and quality of house construction.
15. The
successful regeneration of Avondale will require effective decision making by a
number of key landowners. A group of council and crown agencies was assembled
to work on an update of the existing concept plan work. Mode Architects were
jointly instructed by Panuku and Housing New Zealand Corporation and workshops
were held to better understand the needs and development aspirations of council
and crown stakeholders.
16. The process has been very useful for enabling open communication,
identifying development aspirations, opportunities for collaboration, key road
linkages and enabling early funding discussions.
The Avondale Racecourse
17. The Avondale
Racecourse is well located to the town centre and it provides an attractive
outlook and contributes to the character of the area. The Avondale Jockey Club
has subdivided and sold a number of different parcels of land from the original
landholding to enable racing to continue on the site. The horse racing element
of the racecourse has however been in decline for some time and may not be
sustainable in the medium term.
18. There is a
risk that this land could continue to be sold and developed in a piecemeal way
that wouldn’t support community aspirations or the regeneration and
housing provision aims of Panuku. We would not like to see this land developed
for bulk retail activities, nor would we like to see a predominantly standalone
housing product on this land. It is also important that the existing sports
fields are retained. Continued sale of sections of land from the overall land
holding would degrade the strategic value of the site and make a quality master
planned form of development harder to achieve.
19. Panuku will
look for opportunities to secure certainty over the long term future of the
Avondale Racecourse and the playing fields leased by the council, this will
include continuing to work with key stakeholders such as the Avondale Jockey
Club and the council family to seek positive outcomes.
Consideration
Local
board views and implications
20. On-going
consultation with the Whau Local Board has been undertaken to ensure the Unlock
Avondale HLPP and subsequent projects are consistent with the views of the
Local Board. In particular it is noted that the strategic moves are strongly
related to the outcomes identified within the Whau Local Board Plan 2017.
Māori
impact statement
21. Mana whenua
will play an integrated cultural, social and economic role in unlocking the
potential of Avondale. Engagement with mana whenua has contributed to
defining the overall goals of the project. Mana whenua have a strong historical
footprint in Avondale and seek to build on this association through involvement
in development which recognises their values and draws on Te Aranga design
principles. Increasingly, as Treaty Settlements are reached, mana whenua
through cultural and commercial redress can be leaders in the revitalisation
and place making. It is important that their input into decision-making
processes enables these opportunities for mana whenua contribution within the
market and does not foreclose them. Opportunities may extend to joint ventures,
land purchase and development.
22. The 12
Tāmaki Makaurau mana whenua iwi and hapū listed below have interests
in the broader Avondale area. Panuku will endeavour to work in partnership with
these iwi/hapū towards best care for land, water and people throughout
planning and implementation of land development in Avondale.
· Ngāi
Tai ki Tāmaki
· Ngāti
Maru
· Ngāti
Paoa
· Ngāti
Tamaoho
· Ngāti
Tamaterā
· Ngāti
te Ata
· Ngaati
Whanaunga
· Te
Akitai Waiohua
· Te
Kawerau ā Maki
· Ngāti
Rehua
· Waikato-Tainui
· Te
Ahiwaru
23. Mana whenua
engagement on the Unlock Avondale project has resulted in the articulation of a
cultural narrative specific to the area. The cultural narrative provides a very
high level touch point on the association of mana whenua with Avondale and the
wider surrounding area. It is envisaged that the cultural narrative provides
context for on-going discussion with the mana whenua as part of future
implementation and in particular through;
· The
expression of mana whenua cultural associations
· Pursuing
development consistent with Te Aranga Design, in conjunction with mana whenua
principles and guidance.
· That
a people-centred environment is favoured that supports community building and
an awareness and respect for the natural environment.
· That
improved stormwater management should be an integral and visible part of the
projects.
Implementation
24. A number of
specific projects have been identified through the development of the HLPP.
These projects relate to the management of Council’s property portfolio
in the area. They detail how the sale of excess council land could be used to
facilitate positive regeneration outcomes and detail sites where acquisition
may be appropriate.
25. To protect
the Council’s position in any future property negotiations these projects
remain confidential at this stage and are not included in this open report.
Attachments
|
No.
|
Title
|
Page
|
|
a⇩ 
|
Unlock Avondale - High Level Project Plan
|
11
|
Signatories
|
Author
|
John Carter - Senior Project Planning Leader for
Unlock Avondale, Panuku Development Auckland
|
|
Authorisers
|
Mike Bush – Project Director for Unlock Avondale
Toni Giacon – Manager of Stakeholder Engagement
Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey,
Waitakere Ranges, Whau
|
