Before the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel
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BEFORE THE AUCKLAND UNITARY PLAN INDEPENDENT HEARINGS PANEL IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010 AND IN THE MATTER of Topic 016 RUB North/West AND IN THE MATTER of the submissions and further submissions set out in the Parties and Issues Report JOINT STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF DAVID HOOKWAY, RYAN BRADLEY AND ERYN SHIELDS ON BEHALF OF AUCKLAND COUNCIL (PLANNING – WEST AUCKLAND FRINGE) 15 OCTOBER 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 2 2. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 4 3. CODE OF CONDUCT .................................................................................................. 4 4. SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 4 5. GROUP 1 – KUMEU-HUAPAI...................................................................................... 6 6. GROUP 2 - RIVERHEAD ........................................................................................... 32 7. GROUP 3 – RED HILLS OUTSIDE THE RUB / TAUPAKI ......................................... 37 8. GROUP 4 – WHENUAPAI, RED HILLS INSIDE THE RUB ........................................ 47 9. GROUP 5 – BIRDWOOD ........................................................................................... 50 10. GROUP 6 – WAITAKERE RANGES SPECIFIC ......................................................... 55 11. GROUP 7 – WAITAKERE RANGES GENERAL SUBMISSIONS ............................... 63 12. CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... 63 1 1. SUMMARY 1.1 Our names are David Hookway, Ryan Bradley and Eryn Shields and we provide evidence to the Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel (the Panel) on the location of the proposed Rural Urban Boundary (RUB) in the north west of Auckland. For the purposes of this evidence, the north west of Auckland includes Riverhead, Kumeu / Huapai, and locations south of that to the Waitakere Ranges. 1.2 The key points of our evidence for Kumeu-Huapai, Riverhead, Red Hills / Taupaki, Whenuapai / Red Hills (inside the RUB), Birdwood and the Waitakere Ranges are as follows. Kumeu-Huapai 1.3 Ryan Bradley concludes that the RUB at Kumeu-Huapai can be amended slightly on its western edge in order to provide a more defensible boundary. This amendment reduces the RUB to strengthen the buffer between Kumeu-Huapai and Waimauku, and provide a more defensible boundary in landscape terms. Mr Bradley relies partially on the advice of the Mr Brown, Council’s landscape witness in this matter. 1.4 In Mr Bradley’s evidence, no other changes to the RUB for Kumeu–Huapai are suggested for a variety of reasons. These include submissions seeking the inclusion of land that would lack a defensible boundary, a submission from mana whenua opposing urban expansion to the south east, the existence of prime soils in this area, and geotechnical and flooding hazards. Riverhead 1.5 David Hookway supports those submissions that support the RUB as notified, except in relation to two properties, being 30 Cambridge Road and 307 Riverhead Road. In these two properties, Mr Hookway supports a minor relocation of the RUB and Future Urban zoning to align with the eastern edge of the Electricity Transmission Line overlay that crosses these two properties. 1.6 Mr Hookway, together with other council experts consider that there should be no significant extension to the RUB at Riverhead for capacity reasons, the potential use of prime soils, the exposure to flooding and sensitive downstream marine receiving environments, and submissions seeking land to be included inside the RUB that is located under High Tension power lines. 2 Red Hills (Outside the RUB) / Taupaki 1.7 Mr Hookway concludes that the requested significant additions to the RUB west of Red Hills are not necessary because the land is not required to provide for additional capacity. There would be potential stormwater effects within Brigham Creek and the Upper Waitemata Harbour and the land contains elite and prime soils. 1.8 In relation to a request to rezone Taupaki Village for urban use, Mr Hookway concludes that this is not supported as the area in question is located within a flood prone area, a portion of which has high liquefaction potential and contains an area of elite and prime soils. Red Hills (Inside the RUB) / Whenuapai 1.9 The part of Red Hills that is located within the RUB is located west of Don Buck Road and Fred Taylor Drive (the former State Highway 16). 1.10 The submissions related to these two areas all seek the retention of the RUB, which Eryn Shields supports. One submission from the New Zealand Defence Force relates to the land designated for the Whenuapai Airbase, and seeks the removal of the Future Urban Zone, which Mr Shields does not support, as one of the key planning approaches in the PAUP is that all land in Auckland is zoned. Birdwood 1.11 Mr Shields concludes that the land subject to submissions in Birdwood and north of Swanson Local Village is not suitable for inclusion within the RUB. His view is that the RUB as proposed is the most appropriate, because of the geotechnical issues and storm water constraints for the Birdwood area, and the lack of a defensible boundary north of Swanson Local Village. Waitakere Ranges 1.12 Mr Shields supports retention of the notified RUB without any amendments to include land within the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area for the following reasons: (a) the proposed RUB aligns with the boundary of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area and it is appropriate to avoid urban expansion into this in terms of the effects on the rural character of the foothills (b) the land that is subject to the submissions does not form a defensible RUB 3 (c) that the expansion of urban development into the northern and eastern foothills will not meet the requirements of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act in terms of maintaining the rural character. 2. INTRODUCTION 2.1 This evidence is a joint statement prepared by David Hookway, Ryan Bradley and Eryn Shields for Topic 016 Rural Urban Boundary – Northwest on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP). This statement relates to the Kumeu / Huapai, Riverhead, Red Hills (outside the RUB) / Taupaki, Whenuapai / Red Hills (inside the RUB), Birdwood and the Waitakere Ranges groups. 2.2 Our qualifications and experience are provided in Attachment A. 2.3 Eryn Shields was involved in the development of the location of the RUB in the Whenuapai, Red Hills and Waitakere areas, including advice on the location of the RUB in the Draft Auckland Unitary Plan and consideration of feedback on the draft location of the RUB. 3. CODE OF CONDUCT 3.1 We confirm that we have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses contained in the Environment Court Practice Note 2014 and that we agree to comply with it. We confirm that we have considered all the material facts that we are aware of that might alter or detract from the opinions that we express, and that this evidence is within our areas of expertise, except where we state that we are relying on the evidence of another person. 4. SCOPE 4.1 We are providing a joint statement of planning evidence in relation to the submissions made on Kumeu / Huapai, Riverhead, Red Hills (outside the RUB) / Taupaki, Whenuapai / Red Hills (inside the RUB), Birdwood, the Waitakere Ranges and Waitakere Ranges General submissions. 4.2 This statement addresses each sub-group as follows: (a) Background to the RUB location (b) Key issues raised by submitters (c) Assessment of submissions 4 (d) Response 4.3 Any relevant documents considered in preparing this statement are identified under the relevant sub-group. 4.4 In preparing this statement the evidence of the following Council witnesses are relied on: (a) Joint statement of evidence of Watercare Services Limited (Watercare) by David Blow, Chris Allen and Andre Stuart. (b) The joint statement of Theunis van Schalkwyk, Evan Keating, Alastair Lovell and Scott MacArthur for Auckland Transport (AT) (c) Robert Hillier (geotechnical) (d) Stephen Brown (landscape) (e) Philip Jaggard (storm water). 4.5 The following information is attached to this statement and referred to within the assessment of submissions: (a) Attachment B – IHP Submission Point Pathway Report for the group of submissions (b) Attachment C – Assessment of submissions against Edge Criteria for each sub-group (c) Attachment D – Section 32AA where RUB is proposed to be changed Kumue Huapai and Riverhead (d) Attachment E – Map of proposed change to RUB – Kumeu-Huapai (e) Attachment F - Map of proposed change to RUB - Riverhead (f) Attachment G - Policy Map Z of Part 5 of the Policy Section of the operative District Plan (g) Attachment H – Birdwood Structure Plan (h) Attachment I – Swanson Structure Plan (i) Attachment J – Birdwood Urban Concept Plan 5 5. GROUP 1 – KUMEU-HUAPAI Background to RUB Location 5.1 Kumeu-Huapai is currently a small rural town to the north west of Auckland that has 1,410 residents1. It is 25km by road to central Auckland and 8km to the emerging Metropolitan Centre of Westgate. 5.2 Around 120ha in Huapai North was given a ‘live’ residential zoning in 2013 and there is currently a significant amount of subdivision and housing construction in the area. 5.3