Committee votes to revitalise major town centres

The Planning Committee gave the green light today to plans that will revitalise two of Auckland’s most prominent and well-known town centres.

The Committee agreed to the Unlock Panmure High Level Project Plan to revitalise the Panmure town centre and to change the use of 40 Anzac Street, Takapuna for development of well-designed public spaces, new homes and employment opportunities and new convenient local car parking in central Takapuna.

The following is a digest of decisions made. The agenda is available on Auckland Council’s website and minutes will be added once confirmed. This meeting was also webcast on the council’s website and items are available on demand.
Items 1-8 were administrative items except for Public Input (Item 5) and Local Board Input (Item 6).

There were two items of public input. Nicolas Reid and Bill Reid updated the Committee on progress with the Albert Park Tunnels development proposal. A further report will be made to the Planning Committee on council requirements for the proposal.

Denise Lee, Member of Parliament for the Maungakiekie electorate, spoke in support of the Unlock Panmure High Level Project Plan.

Under Local Board input, Chris Makoare and Nerissa Henry from the Maungakiekie- Tāmaki Local Board addressed the Committee in support of the Unlock Panmure High Level Project Plan.

Grant Gillon, Devonport-Takapuna Local Board Chair, spoke to the Planning Committee regarding the proposed change of use of 40 Anzac Street, Takapuna.

Item 9: Unlock Panmure High Level Project Plan

The Committee gave its approval to Panuku Development Auckland’s Unlock Panmure High Level Project Plan to revitalise Panmure town centre.

See OurAuckland for more information.

Unlock Panmure is a plan to revitalise Panmure that will improve transport connections to and from the town centre, reinvigorate the mainstreet, deliver new housing, and reconnect the community with its surrounding natural features.

Panuku Development Auckland will lead the refresh of Panmure town centre in partnership with Tāmaki Regeneration Company, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, Auckland Council and mana whenua.

As part of its decisions today, the Committee also endorsed Panuku to dispose of Auckland Council owned properties. These will be considered by a meeting of the Finance and Performance Committee at a later date.

Detailed information is available under item 9 of the Planning Committee agenda.
Item 10: Change of use of 40 Anzac Street, Takapuna
The Committee approved the recommendation of the Hearings Panel to change the use of 40 Anzac Street, Takapuna from a car park to mixed use, meaning the site can be used for purposes other than car parking.

This follows further engagement between Panuku Development Auckland and the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board since the item was heard in November 2017 on plans to revitalise the site as part of its Unlock Takapuna project.

See OurAuckland for more information

The plan for the 40 Anzac Street site includes:
• Replacement of existing car parking on Anzac Street with a new 450-500 car park on the Gasometer site
• People-friendly public spaces including a new town square that will allow for activities like a market
• Well-designed laneways creating connections with Anzac Street, Lake Road and Hurstmere Road
• Creating safer access to Potter’s Park
• Suitable alternative short-stay parking

The existing 250 car parks at Anzac Street will be replaced in a multi-storey 400-550 space car parking building at the nearby Gasometer site. The Anzac Street car park will not close until the Gasometer car park is completed.
Panuku Development Auckland will oversee the revitalisation of Takapuna working alongside the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board to continue discussions with the community.

Detailed information is available under item 10 of the Planning Committee agenda.

Item 11: Political reference group to consider the new draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2018

A political reference group was established to consider the soon to be released new draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2018 and to consider making a draft submission for approval of the Planning Committee if required.
The political reference group will include Mayor Phil Goff, Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore, Councillors Chris Darby (Planning Committee Chair), Richard Hills (Deputy Chair), and Christine Fletcher and Independent Maori Statutory Board member Liane Ngamane.

Item 12: Summary of Planning Committee information memos and briefings
A summary and provide a public record of memos or briefing papers that may have been distributed to committee members.

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