Te Whau Shared Pathway
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TE WHAU SHARED PATHWAY Landscape and Visual Assessment FINAL 3 April 2019 Prepared for Beca Ltd LANDWRITERS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Te Whau Shared Pathway will connect Manukau Harbour with the Waitemata Harbour through a series of boardwalks, bridges and concrete paths set within and alongside the Whau estuary. Key objectives are to provide a new pathway for cyclists and walkers that will cross the isthmus, connect the local Te Whau communities with the city cycle network, and create better connections to the river itself and its rich ecological and cultural heritage. This report assesses the landscape and visual effects of the Te Whau Shared Pathway (the shared pathway) at a ‘Consenting Envelope’ level – more refined than a general scheme assessment, but prior to final route selection and detailed design. There will be adverse effects on landscape/riverscape and visual amenity as a result of the shared pathway, primarily as a result of the visibility of the new boardwalk structure, and due to the works within the intertidal area and limited earthworks on river embankments, both of which will require vegetation to be removed. At a broad scale the pathway is considered an appropriate use in terms of landscape, natural character and visual amenity matters for the following reasons: · The boardwalk is enhancing and extending public access to the river and between the existing network of parks and paths along the Whau River. · Te Whau River is identified as a Significant Ecological Area (Marine 2) and contains important natural elements, patterns and processes including estuarine vegetation and bird habitat however it is also modified and flows through a highly modified environment. · Neither the estuary nor its margins are considered to be an area of Outstanding or High Natural Character. Neither has it been identified as an Outstanding Natural Feature or Landscape. · The concrete paths are at-grade and will be constructed in an environment where this type of pathway already exists and is part of a typical managed parkland character. · The boardwalk will add modification to the river and margins however as a recreational facility with coastal/maritime associations, the boardwalks will complement the landscape context and integrate with the open space setting and estuarine environment. · The boardwalk will require localised disturbance to landform and vegetation removal. By progressively building the structure, the scale of the intervention can be limited largely to the alignment. · The planting recommended as part of the project will enhance visual amenity, indigenous habitat values and natural character of the wider area over the long term. · Due to the topography, road layout and intervening built development and riparian vegetation, close views to the boardwalk structures will largely be restricted to recreation users, industrial properties and a limited number of dwellings. The highest level of adverse effects will occur at a localised scale for a limited number of residents close to the shared pathway where the boardwalk structure and its use will form a new and immediately apparent part of the landscape. Changes have been proposed to the alignment to limit the potential for high visual amenity effects on these residents at Koromiko Ave. Overall however, in terms of its length, sculptural form and function, the boardwalk and shared pathway will become a landmark for the community around Te Whau River with improved amenity Te Whau Walkway Landscape and Visual Assessment FINAL 03042019 1 through connectivity and recreational opportunities. At a broad scale, these qualities will help to offset any sense of the structure being out of scale or intrusive in the river and landscape. Te Whau Walkway Landscape and Visual Assessment FINAL 03042019 2 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................ 1 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 4 1.1 BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................... 5 2. PROPOSAL ................................................................................................................................... 6 3.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................... 9 3.1 BROAD CONTEXT .................................................................................................................... 9 3.2 LOCAL CONTEXT ................................................................................................................... 11 4.0 PLANNING CONTEXT ................................................................................................................. 15 4.1 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT (RMA) ................................................................................ 15 4.2 NEW ZEALAND COASTAL POLICY STATEMENT (NZCPS) 2010 .............................................. 15 4.3 AUCKLAND UNITARY PLAN: .................................................................................................. 15 5 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL EFFECTS ................................................................................................ 17 5.1 CONSTRUCTION EFFECTS...................................................................................................... 18 5.2 LANDSCAPE AND NATURAL CHARACTER EFFECTS ............................................................... 18 5.3 VISUAL EFFECTS .................................................................................................................... 20 6 RECOMMENDED MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................................................... 27 7. CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................................. 28 APPENDIX ONE ..................................................................................................................................... 30 APPENDIX TWO .................................................................................................................................... 31 Te Whau Walkway Landscape and Visual Assessment FINAL 03042019 3 1 INTRODUCTION This landscape and visual assessment has been prepared for Beca Ltd on behalf of Auckland Council to support a resource consent application for the construction and use of the Te Whau shared pathway in West Auckland. A 15km shared walking and cycle route, the Te Whau Pathway will connect Manukau Harbour with the Waitemata Harbour (refer to Figure 1 below) to form part of a wider recreation and transport network. Between Green Bay on the Manukau Harbour and Olympic Park, little change is required as part of this proposal as the pathway will comprise of an existing shared path and on-road cycle lane. Therefore, this assessment is primarily concerned with the section from Olympic Park in New Lynn to Te Atatu South at the SH16 bridge where the path will consist of new concrete sections on land and boardwalk sections in the Whau estuary. The assessment describes potential effects in relation to three main areas – effects on the natural character of the area, visual amenity, and landscape/riverscape character, and should be read in conjunction with the scheme drawings provided in Appendix A to the AEE. Waitemata Harbour Manukau Harbour Figure 1: Aerial showing Te Whau River and broad landscape context Te Whau Walkway Landscape and Visual Assessment FINAL 03042019 4 1.1 BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY The methodology of this assessment is guided by the relevant objectives and policies of the AUP, the NZILA and NZTA landscape assessment guidance notes1. Effects are also considered at a high level in terms of Part 2, sections 6 and 7 of the RMA 1991, and relevant sections of the NZCPS, particularly in relation to natural character of the coastal environment. The assessment process has involved the following stages: · Two separate site visits to publicly accessible viewpoints along the Whau River area and visits on each occasion to the flats at 40 Koromiko Street; · Photographs were taken to assist with site description and analysis. · Desktop investigations including review of: o Scheme Design Layout Plans 080818, hand annotated with proposed changes (received 25 October 2018); o Urban and Landscape Design Framework, o Draft Construction Methodology (Beca) and Ecology Assessment (Wildlands, August 2018); o relevant statutory and non-statutory documents (in particular the Unitary Plan and the NZ Coastal Policy Statement); o Google Earth and Street View images, aerial photographs, and topographic maps; · Analysis of the existing character of the route and surrounding area, and key viewpoints and viewing audiences. · An assessment of natural character, landscape and visual effects, including discussion of the mitigation measures that have been developed as part of the design and others that are recommended. A five-point scale is used to describe the level of adverse effects: · Negligible/Low/Moderate//High/Extreme. Further detail on the definition of the effects rankings is included within Appendix 1. Terms of Reference The visual assessment was undertaken with the following limitations: · The assessment is of a broad ‘consenting envelope’ as the engineering design of the proposed scheme was at a preliminary stage during the time the