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Recent News

NZ PGA Championships at Remuera Golf Course – Request to Residents

Posted: 21 February 2016

We have received a request from the Remuera Golf Club, who are hosting the New Zealand PGA Championships on 2-6 March. They would like to be able to prepare the course from 6am, instead of 7am as current noise restrictions allow.

If you live near the golf club and have any specific concerns, please contact Spencer Cooper, Course Superintendent, Remuera Golf Club on 021 229 8550 or .

Full text of the email from Remuera Golf Club is below:

Dear Neighbours,

We hope you are well and enjoying the great summer we are having?

As you have probably heard and seen recently, Remuera Golf Club will once again be hosting the New Zealand PGA Championships from 2-6 March 2016 (with the Pro-Am event on 2 March) which is part of and organized by the Australasian Tour. This a very exciting event not only for the club but for Auckland and we are looking forward to building on last year’s successful tournament. (www.holdenpgachampionship.co.nz)

In fact, the tournament has been so well received and due to this huge interest we will have to make use of every minute of daylight during the tournament to prepare the course and still accommodate all the players.

With this in mind we find ourselves in the position of being restricted by Auckland Council Noise Pollution Laws to only start preparation of the course at 7am. We are committed to maintaining and building a strong relationship with all our neighbours but for 2, 3 and 4 March 2015 we would like to ask for some leeway and start our operations to prepare the course at 6 am.

We hope this request is agreeable with all our neighbours and together with you we look forward to putting on an event that our whole community can be proud of. Please notify me directly should you have any concerns? Please could you also share this with any of our neighbours not on this mailing list who might have concerns especially along Norman Lessor Drive, Allen Johnstone Place, Hoani Glade, Coldham Crescent, Charles Fox Place and Panapa Drive.

Kind Regards

Spencer Cooper

Course Superintendent

Remuera Golf Club

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Upzoning causes upset in Orakei Ward

Posted: 20 February 2016

The Unitary Plan exists to provide a framework for how Auckland will grow, and accommodate more people in increased density housing in Auckland.

However late last year Auckland Council blindsided Orakei Ward residents with significant changes to the density outlined in the original Unitary Plan.

  1. Zoning redefinitions: The four residential zones in our ward will all allow for more density. For example, Mixed Housing Suburban Zone (most of Meadowbank & St Johns), will now allow one dwelling per 200m2 (instead of one dwelling per 400m2). See a summary of zoning redefinitions (thanks to Margaret King).
  2. ‘Upzoning’: Just before Christmas 2015, Auckland Council announced that around 20,000 properties (mainly in Glendowie, St Heliers and Orakei, with about 100 properties affected in Meadowbank and St Johns) would be re-zoned under the Unitary Plan to allow for much higher density developments. Some properties even ‘jumped up’ two zones.

For a definition of the four main proposed new zones affecting Orakei Ward, see the Auckland Council Fact sheet definitions:

In practice this means a much higher density in Orakei Ward than we were originally consulted upon, and the Council has not addressed the flow-on effects that this increased density will have on infrastructure, traffic and resources.

What’s more, unless the ‘upzoned’ households made a submission on the Unitary Plan (submissions closed in February 2014), they cannot make submissions on the changes.

We believe this process has been completely undemocratic so here’s what we’re doing about it.

  • Together with other Residents Associations and community groups in Orakei, and supported by Orakei Local Board, we held a public meeting on February 9 to inform residents of the changes and asked local Councillors to support our objections to the process
  • We’re staying in close contact with Orakei Local Board to keep pressure on Auckland Council.

Zoning map

To see an outline of the changes in Orakei Ward, view the Zoning Map. Note: ‘Out of scope’ means Auckland Council will not notify property owners of the changes, and owners have no right of reply to the changes.

Read more

Annual Budget Consultation 2016

Posted: 20 February 2016

Auckland Council is seeking feedback on this year’s Annual Budget. Visit http://shapeauckland.co.nz/consultations/annual-budget-20162017/ to read the document and submit your feedback. Note: Feedback is open until March 24 at 4pm. 

There are two main areas of consultation:

1. Rates

You can feed back on how you want your rates to be calculated and how much weight should be given to key issues such as:

  • The Uniform Annual General Charge (i.e. whether this should be consistent across all households OR skewed towards areas where more money is spent)
  • The Interim Transport Levy (an extra rates levy to pay for initiatives approved in the 10-year plan last year, including the Central Rail Link)
  • Maori land rates
  • Farm and lifestyle rates.

2. Spending in Orakei Local Board area

Meadowbank & St Johns is part of Orakei Local Board, and the Annual Budget determines where money will be spent in our area. You must submit in support of these projects to ensure they secure funding. Projects without support risk having their funding redirected to other areas of Auckland.

The main project affecting Meadowbank & St Johns is the cycling and walking connections to the Eastern Path (Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive shared walk/cycleway). Government funding does not cover connections to the path, so unless Orakei Local Board funds this, we could end up with a path through Meadowbank that is only accessible from St Johns Rd and the Meadowbank train station (which is not an improvement over existing routes).

Read more about the Eastern Path in our news article Eastern Path Updates September 2015.

A full list of local projects are below:

  • cycling and walking connections to the Eastern Path (Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive shared walk/cycleway)
  • Stonefields open space development
  • develop the Shore Road eastern car park, third sportsfield and installing lighting
  • contribute to the development of multi-use changing rooms at Michaels Avenue Reserve
  • new lighting and sportsfield upgrades at Colin Maiden Park, Madills Farm and Orakei Domain.

What’s on at Meadowbank Community Centre in 2016?

Posted: 12 February 2016

Check out the courses available and try something new this year at Meadowbank Community Centre.

Download the 2016 Information Flyer (PDF).

Lights at Abbotts Way / Grand Drive – Updated Plans

Posted: 11 February 2016

***Update 17/5/16: Danny Xu advised by email that installation will now start in June. AT will notify residents a week before construction is due to start. We will keep you updated.***

Danny Xu, Senior Traffic Engineer from Auckland Transport (AT) attended our February meeting and updated us on the plans for the lights at Grand Drive and Abbotts Way. Main points are:

  • Installation of traffic lights with filters, will commence April/May 2016 and take 6-8 weeks to complete
  • AT will send letters to residents and local residents associations approximately 10 working days prior to beginning construction. Billboards will also be erected advising of the changes
  • Existing kerb lines will remain
  • Traffic lights at Lunn Avenue, Grand Drive and Ladies Mile will be coordinated to ensure better traffic flows
  • As this intersection is on the Auckland Cycle Network, AT has incorporated more room for cyclists
  • Traffic flows will be monitored and evaluated for the first three months
  • Car parks will be lost on Grand Drive and Abbotts Way
  • Limited mobility crossing will be provided for.

View a PDF map of how lights will look at the intersection

Update on new playground for Rutherford Reserve

Posted: 9 February 2016

An update from Orakei Local Board on the upcoming upgrade to the playground at Rutherford Reserve:

“Work on the playground in Rutherford will start in mid-March. We are programming it for then as we are beginning renewals on the playgrounds at Madills Farm and Glover Park in February and don’t want too many playgrounds in Orakei out of action at the same time. We also need it really dry to work at Rutherford Reserve, and March is usually quite a dry month.
Attached is a PDF of the new playground that will be built.
thanks
Kit Parkinson
Orakei Local Board
027 274 9688”

Rutherford Reserve new playground design (PDF) Please note that the existing flying fox will stay!

New SHA for Meadowbank

Posted: 20 January 2016

In November 2015 Auckland Council announced a new Special Housing Area (SHA) at 8-14 Meadowbank Rd.

The development will replace four existing houses and will accommodate approximately 45 new apartments. Construction is expected to be complete in 2017.

More information

Below is the full text taken from the Auckland Council website:

“The development at 8–14 Meadowbank Road, Meadowbank is for approximately 45 new apartments, with an expectation that they will be completed in 2017.

The Meadowbank development will provide a mix of apartments in a range of price brackets including smaller one bedroom apartments and larger three bedroom apartments. At the bottom end of the price range, the apartments will meet the requirements of Auckland’s affordability criteria with pricing forecast at between $550,000 and $750,000. The development will also include underground car-parking, and open space for residents.

The apartments will replace four existing houses and enjoy access to bus and train routes, as well as being a short walk from social infrastructure such as shops, cafes, churches, medical centre, Countdown Supermarket.

The development will be managed by Southside Group Management Limited & Dryden Property Ltd with the intention to have the development completed by 2017.”

February 2016: An updated list of SHAs in the Orakei Ward (which includes Meadowbank and St Johns) is available here.

‘The Block’ coming to Meadowbank & St Johns in 2016

Posted: 15 January 2016

UPDATE 23 FEB 2016: Looks like the NZ Herald has let the cat is out of the bag today re location: (although technically that side of St Johns Rd is officially St Johns, not Meadowbank).

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As you have probably heard, TV3’s home renovation TV show The Block will be filmed right here in Meadowbank & St Johns in 2016.

Producers are keen to keep the exact location under wraps for now to minimise unnecessary rubbernecking. Immediate neighbours have been notified and were informed of noise and traffic management plans at a meeting held in December 2015.

We are included in the list of residents receiving updates about the show, and if you live within 150m of the Dorchester Rd shops and would like to be added to the list, please email us on and we’ll put you in touch with the production team.

More information

The Block 2016 bound for Meadowbank? (Stuff.co.nz, December 8, 2015)

What is The Block? Find out at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Block_NZ

Pourewa Creek Management Plan Open Day

Posted: 30 November 2015

All are welcome to come along to an open day hosted by Ngati Whatua Orakei Reserves Board to help shape Pourewa Creek and decide how it should be used.

See the flyer for details: Pourewa Open Day Invitation

Works at Purewa Cemetery

Posted: 30 November 2015

Purewa Cemetery is currently doing works to add a new remembrance lounge. The lounge will allow two ceremonies with accompanying functions to be held at the same time.

View the Purewa Cemetery new remembrance lounge presentation board (PDF).

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