13 October 2005
Two villages and hamlet on cards for Ocean Beach
Click for big version
Hawke’s Bay’s Ocean Beach has the potential to house two villages and a hamlet (consisting 540 sections total),
international town planning and urban design experts say.
Members of the Hawke’s Bay community were tonight presented with a draft master plan for the area by American-based DPZ
Pacific’s Demetri Baches following 10 days of workshops on site at Ocean Beach.
A caravan park and wilderness baches are also incorporated into the design. A hill plateau at the northern end of the
beach would provide an opportunity for a lodge which could incorporate wilderness, conservation and eco-tourism.
The workshops were part of a ‘charrette’ process which involved a design team from DPZ Pacific Design & Development and RobertsDay, Australia, being fed information from each workshop. The designers started with a blank
canvas of the area and over the 10 day process identified long-term development and conservation potential for the
entire area of Ocean Beach.
The charrette focused on 9km of coastal land. Following tonight’s unveiling of the draft master plan, approx 80% of the
total land area has been set aside for environmental and heritage conservation as well as agriculture. Of the 20% to be
earmarked for development, almost half has been set aside as Civic Reserve, such as parks, squares and greens.
Ocean Beach is one of Hawke’s Bay’s few untouched beaches with just a small existing bach settlement (32). There are
just three permanent residents.
The charrette was jointly commissioned by Hastings District Council and Hill Country Corporation.
Mr Baches said the main village (approx 300 sections) would achieve the critical mass necessary to support cultural,
employment and retail opportunities. The architecture would be traditional.
“The compact design of the blocks and streets reduces the footprint of the village on the land and permits residents and
visitors to walk instead of use the car,” he said.
“A park once and walk environment is both pedestrian friendly and environmentally responsible. The mix of house lots and
building types will offer a variety of income and age groups an opportunity to live in Ocean Beach.”
The Ridge Hamlet (70 sections) would extend up from the Ocean Village, he said.
“It offers an entry to Ocean Beach for visitors and sets the stage for what to expect from the new communities planned
there. Similar in plan and design to the beach villages, the sections on the ridge provide stunning views of the Hawks
Bay.”
Mr Baches said the southern village on land owned by Puke Puke Tangiora Estate and Waipuka Incorporation respectively,
would offer the existing bach community an alternative site for relocating as they undergo a staged withdrawal from the
unstable and receding beach front on which they are currently located.
“The design of the village takes into account the innovative housing type to be developed which permits expansion of the
house to accommodate growing families,” he said.
Mr Baches said the upper slopes permitted further development. The southern village would have a main street and
interact with an area of domains and a school which would be located between it and the ocean village.
Now that the charrette is completed, Hastings District Council will consult further with the people of Hastings district
and seek submissions as part of its district plan change process in 2006.
Hawke’s Bay people will next have their say at an Open Day on Saturday 12 November. Mike Day from RobertsDay, council
officers and landowners will be on site at Haupouri Station Woolshed to speak with members of the public and discuss the
draft master plan. Free guided site tours will also be available in the morning and afternoon.
-ENDS-