Housing NZ doubled the density of its original Special Housing Area plans, and has consent to build 11 apartments on the sites of 9-11 Purewa Rd. There will be three 3-story buildings and one duplex on the site.
23 March 2019
This page has links from other sources and commentary on the Housing NZ development on Purewa Rd and Puroto St.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11860921
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/73905933/null
28 September 2018
Housing NZ have informed us that site works are commencing shortly on their vacant land at 9 – 11 Purewa Rd, opposite Meadowbank Train Station.
Hours of work on site are Monday to Saturday 7:30am to 6:00pm. Contractors will park on the vacant Puroto St site. Click here to view the letter delivered to nearby residents on Friday 28 September 2018.
25 July 2018
Housing NZ have accepted our invitation to speak to us at our next monthly meeting on Tuesday 14 August. The presentation will cover the developments currently underway or planned in Meadowbank and St Johns, background on how Housing NZ decide what type of development to put on each site, some specific updates on Purewa Rd and Puroto St, as well as opportunity for questions.
The next meeting is at St Chads Church at 38 St Johns Rd. Meeting start at 7:30pm
To provide some background: thanks to the persistence of Grant Dickson and his team at Purewa / Puroto, on Friday 20 July the Residents Association finally met with Housing NZ (HNZ) about the development on Purewa Road. It’s taken more than two years to get this meeting!
Grant chaired the meeting, which was attended by OLB Vice-Chair Carmel Claridge, (now past) MSJRA Chair Tim Duguid and Treasurer, Barry Stewart, and a team of six from HNZ.
We noted the two main issues that residents have with this development: design and process. Specifically, the open stairwells and other aspects of the building and grounds; and the lack of consultation, which has been perceived, rightly or wrongly, as disingenuous. We emphasised, as we have in our correspondence to HNZ that we’re not opposed to developments by HNZ in our suburbs, that such a view would be inconsistent with the purpose of our Association, and that we’re not arguing against density or intensification. On the contrary, Grant put the view very eloquently that by consulting meaningfully with residents, better outcomes could be achieved for the whole community, including the HNZ tenants. Indeed we look forward to new arrivals in our suburbs joining our Association.
We’re pleased to report that HNZ listened to our concerns, and that they committed to engaging further with the community. Without promising wholesale changes to the building or site form, HNZ will review design details, including the stairwells, with Grant’s team, which includes an architect. A team from HNZ will also present to MSJRA before the start of construction, most likely at our meeting on Tuesday 14 August*. HNZ will also meet with the OLB in a workshop session.
HNZ is a significant landowner in our suburb and we hope this marks the start of a better engagement with our community.
Meanwhile, here’s the first colour image of the development on Purewa Rd that we have seen (view from towards the Orakei Basin end of Purewa Road).
23 May 2018
News on the application by Housing New Zealand for resource consent to construct 11 dwellings, comprised of nine apartments within three three-storey buildings, and two units as a double storey duplex complex at 9-11 Purewa Road, opposite Meadowbank Train Station.
The decision by Auckland Council is to grant consent without public notification, on the basis that “the activity will not have and is not likely to have adverse effects on the environment that are more than minor.”
The statement notes that the proposal “will provide housing of an intensity, scale, location, form and appearance that will be compatible with that anticipated in the Residential Mixed Housing Urban (MHU) Zone, while accepting it will result in a change to the existing neighbourhood character”. The general site layout is considered to be “an appropriate design response with the buildings providing a strong street presence and enhanced passive surveillance towards the train station”. The architecture and materiality of the proposal are assessed as being of “appropriate quality and will reflect the residential nature of the site and surrounding sites.” Landscaping treatment is also considered to be appropriate in softening and mitigating the buildings and any effects on privacy to surrounding residents”. In other comments, it is noted that parking can be accommodated on site without compromising the function, capacity or safety of the road network, ensuring traffic and pedestrian safety is maintained.
In summary, the decision finds no special circumstances that warrant the application being publicly notified as there is nothing exceptional or unusual about the application to require public notification.
We are grateful to Grant Dickson in obtaining this clarification from Auckland Council after a prolonged correspondence.
The images show the street view of the original pair of state houses, the initial proposal from HNZ, and the proposal which has been approved.
At every possible opportunity, we have objected not to the scale of the development per se, but to certain aspects of the building and site design. We’re disappointed with the outcome and the process that HNZ has followed, which on the face of it contrasts with the approaches taken by other developers in our suburbs.
Naturally, we may well consider this sets a precedent for HNZ developments in the MHU zones in our suburbs. You can read more background on the progress of this development here.
18 May 2017
Housing NZ has doubled the density of its original Special Housing Area plans, and applied for consent to build 11 apartments on the sites of 9-11 Purewa Rd. There will be three 3-storey buildings and one duplex on the site.
Housing NZ’s original application in 2015 was for 12 dwellings in total on the four sites 9-11 Purewa Rd and 6-8 Puroto St.
We are concerned that the new consent was non-notified, meaning locals do not get to have a say. We are also surprised that all of the dwellings are to be Housing New Zealand houses, not mixed ownership, so they are of no help to anyone trying to buy an affordable starter house, which was the original purpose of the Special Housing Area idea. Furthermore, the building design is sorely lacking on what is a beautiful site and right next to the future Glen Innes – Tamaki Drive Shared Path.
We do not know what is going to happen with the remaining land on 6-8 Puroto St.
Exerpt from a presentation by Grant Dickson to Orakei Local Board, 18 May 2018
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For detailed information about the development from Housing New Zealand, view the following documents:
In addition, local resident and neighbour to the development Grant Dickson has put together a PowerPoint presentation about the development and its potential impact on neighbours, which he delivered to the Orakei Local Board at their meeting on May 18.
Picture showing the four sites of the Housing NZ Special Housing Area at 9-11 Purewa Rd (right) and 6-8 Puroto St (left)
9-11 Purewa St site
Drawing showing the four buildings containing 11 apartments planned for 9-11 Purewa St
28 February 2016
Housing New Zealand has advised that demolition of the houses at 4-6 Puroto St and 9-11 Purewa St will begin soon to allow construction on Special Housing Area-designated land.
Resource consent has been granted to remove four houses and replace them with 12 new homes. See our View plans for Meadowbank SHAs news article for detailed plans of the development.
We have attached letters distributed to residents about the demolition and asbestos removal.
The email from Housing New Zealand is included below:
Good afternoon
I am writing to advise that demolition work will be commencing on the above site shortly. I delivered a letter to all residents in Puroto St, Purewa Rd and both sides of Manapau St from the intersection of Tahapa Crescent on Tuesday. The work will be carried out in stages with asbestos removal first. The houses will then be demolished and removed from the site. I have asked our Delivery Manager about this work and the impact on the neighbourhood in particular the traffic congestion. He advises that the contractors will park their vehicles on the site and the Puroto St houses will be removed through the Purewa Rd entrance.
The letter sent to residents and fact sheet about asbestos removal are enclosed.
Regards
Marion
Marion Humphrey
Stakeholder Relationship Manager
Housing New Zealand Corporation
Demolition taking place in Purewa Rd, as seen on 2 March 2016.
3 November 2015
Housing New Zealand (HNZ) has lodged resource consent applications for two of its Meadowbank Special Housing Areas (SHAs):
Key features:
Key features:
27 March 2015
Housing New Zealand held a drop-in meeting on March 25 for locals to come and learn more about the Special Housing Areas (SHAs) being planned for Meadowbank.
Some photos are below.
Locals at the drop-in meeting about Meadowbank SHAs held at Meadowbank Community Centre on March 25, 2015
Architect’s impression of the development at 78-82 Tahapa Crescent – one of the three SHAs planned for Meadowbank
Overview of the houses going into SHA on the existing two sites on Puroto and Purewa Streets, Meadowbank
4 February 2015
Housing New Zealand are holding a drop-in session for local residents to come and ask questions about the proposed 14-unit development on Puroto and Purewa Streets.
See here for more information on the development and about PPMRG (Purewa, Puroto and Manapau Residents Group) joining Meadowbank and St Johns Residents Association as a subcommittee.
28 January 2015
Our committee has voted in favour of including a local action group as a subcommittee of our association.
The Puroto, Purewa and Manapau Residents Group (PPMRG) wants better consultation with locals on the development of a Special Housing Area (SHA) planned for adjoining sites on Puroto and Purewa streets.
Housing New Zealand is proposing to build 14 new homes on the 2590 square metre SHA site where there are currently four state houses.
Under SHA legislation Housing New Zealand is not required to notify nearby residents of SHA resource consent applications made to the Auckland Council.
Only owners of adjoining properties have been invited by letter by Housing New Zealand to discuss their concerns and view plans.
PPMRG group leader Grant Dickson did not receive a letter despite living within 10 metres of the development. He says that while the PPRMG does not oppose redevelopment of the sites, he is worried that the intensity of the development is out of character for the neighbourhood and that locals won’t get to have their say.
The Puroto/Purewa SHA is the first of three SHAs in Meadowbank to be developed. The map below shows all three SHA sites.
The group has been accepted as a subcommittee of MBSJRA because it satisfies requirements set out in our constitution. MBSJRA Chair Ruth Mackintosh says “Meadowbank and St Johns Residents Association is keen to ensure locals are consulted and represented in all developments in our area, including SHAs, in line with our mission to create a thriving and vibrant community.”