Auckland Stormwater NDC Application
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Auckland Stormwater NDC Application Appendix D: Consultation Reports Part X: Manukau Harbour March 2017 Healthy Waters Infrastructure and Environmental Services Auckland Council Appendix D Workshop minutes and summary of feedback forms Manukau Harbour CRE: Consultation Outcomes Report D-1 "QQFOEJY% 'FFECBDLBOE.JOVUFT (SFBUFS5ƗNBLJ&5(1'&&RQVXOWDWLRQ2XWFRPHV5HSRUW $ 'FFECBDL $PVODJM -PDBM#PBSET (FOFSBM $PVODJM Memo June 2013 To: Waitemata Stormwater NDC Project Team From: Tim Hegarty, Principal Infrastructure Planner – Spatial Strategy Subject: Waitemata Stormwater NDC Feedback Growth Context I am writing with regard to the network discharge consent (NDC) sought by the Council’s Stormwater Unit for the Waitemata consolidated receiving environment (CRE). The Spatial and Infrastructure Strategy Unit (SIS) leads the implementation of the Auckland Plan, with a focus on its development strategy. The development strategy identifies and describes the way Auckland will grow over the next 30 years. In essence, the Auckland Plan calls for Auckland to grow in a quality compact fashion, with 70% of the growth contained within the Metropolitan Urban Limits and up to 40% of growth outside the existing limits. This 70/40 distribution provides for some flexibility if the preferred 70/30 split cannot be achieved. It also ensures that adequate land capacity is provided for a period of 30 years. The 40% outside the MUL is located across a broad range of locations, including coastal settlements, satellites, and countryside living. However, the bulk of this is located within the greenfield areas of investigation (GFAI), as shown in the table below: Location Total additional housing Total additional employment capacity (dwellings) required capacity required In existing urban core (70%) 280,000 190,000 Outside existing urban core (up to 160,000 110,000 40%) Greenfield areas of 90,000 61,000 Investigation Satellite towns (excluding 20,000 14,000 Greenfield extensions) Rural and coastal towns 10,000 7,000 Rural villages and general 20,000 14,000 rural. Pipeline greenfield currently 20,000 14,000 outside MUL The GAFI work is still currently underway and has been primarily based around three clusters1: x A southern cluster encompassing Pukekohe, Paerata, Karaka, and Hingaia; x A northwestern cluster around Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead, and Whenuapai; x A northern cluster around Silverdale, Dairy Flat, and Warkworth. The projected growth within these clusters is highly dependent on a number of factors, including: x Natural hazard risks e.g. flooding; x Geotechnical conditions; x Transport Planning x Infrastructure services; x Market attractiveness; x Impacts on productive soils and the rural economy; x Cultural impacts; and x Impacts on water quality and marine environments. Overall, the 90,000 dwellings and employment proposed within these three GAFI clusters are distributed as: Cluster Area Households Jobs Southern 55,000 35,000 Northwestern 20,000 8,000 Northern - Silverdale 12,000 8,000 Northern - Warkworth 3,500 2,500 The GAFI areas of the northwestern and northern (Silverdale) study areas is relevance to the proposed Waitemata NDC. A significant portion of the northwestern study area is included within the Waitemata catchment, while the Dairy Flat area contained within the northern study area is also within the catchment. 1 Attached to this memo are the development strategy maps of the Auckland Plan (Attachment One) and the Rural Urban Boundary (RUB)1 from the Draft Unitary Plan Addendum (Attachment Two). These maps demonstrate the significant areas of urban growth that will occur within Auckland over the coming decades. Page 2 Furthermore, while SIS resources are currently focused on the GAFIs, we are also interesting in ensuring that planning for growth inside the MUL reflects the Auckland Plan’s intent. The Waitemata catchment includes a significant portion of the Isthmus, North Shore, and Western Suburbs. This urban area includes the City Centre and five Metropolitan Centres (Newmarket, Takapuna, Westgate, New Lynn, and Henderson). Many of these locations are highly attractive from a market perspective and feature capacity up-zoning through the Unitary Plan. Over the coming decades, it is expected that significant redevelopment will occur across these urban areas, impacting a number of infrastructure services. Auckland Plan Infrastructure Directives Chapter 12 of the Auckland Plan directly addresses the provision of Auckland’s physical and social infrastructure. While the wider aspects of this infrastructure is also raised in other chapters of the Plan (such as Chapter 7 – Auckland’s Environment), Chapter 12 identifies the key aspects for infrastructure planning. This chapter states that “Auckland expects that the quality and effectiveness of its infrastructure will be improved as the population increases, through enhanced efficiency and prudent investment”2. Within this context, stormwater infrastructure and investment is articulated within Priority 1 of the chapter. This priority states the following relevant directives: x Directive 12.1 - Identify, protect, and provide existing and future network utility infrastructure to ensure efficient provision of secure and resilient water supply, wastewater, stormwater, energy, and telecommunication services that will meet the needs of Auckland over time x Directive 12.2 – Integrate planning of network utility infrastructure to provide for population growth. x Directive 12.3 – Sequence investment across the network utilities and collaborate to identify areas where infrastructure can be effectively provided and where land and corridors can accommodate network utility services. x Directive 12.4 – Ensure sustainable design and use of water resources (see Chapter 7: Auckland’s Environment). These directives should act as guidance for any infrastructure investment made in Auckland. Specific Comments on Proposed NDC It is our understanding that the proposed NDC application only deals with existing infrastructure assets within the Waitemata catchment and does not include any new greenfield growth areas3. In 2 Pg 291, Auckland Plan, Auckland Council (2012) 3 Pg 16, Waitemata Harbour Stormwater Network Discharge Consent: Consultation Summary Document, Auckkland Council (2013) Page 3 addition, it is based on the projected changes in population density identified in Figure 8 of the consultation summary document. However, while we note that stormwater runoff is a result of increases in impermeable surfaces rather than raw population growth, we have concerns that the current growth assumptions for the proposed NDC do not match the planned growth projections of the Auckland and Unitary Plans in both the greenfield and brownfield areas and this could affect the outcomes of the current and future NDCs. We welcome further discussion on aligning these growth projections. In addition, we would prefer that the GAFIs and the significant growth proposed for them is captured by some degree by the proposed application. While the stormwater planning and investment for these greenfield areas is still underway, the shared receiving environment of all these growth areas and the need to manage the environmental impacts of growth should be better referenced. Without this improved alignment in growth projections and linkages to the GAFIs, we have concerns that problems or delays may arise in obtaining the required NDCs for the GAFIs or in achieving the intensification goals set by the Auckland Plan. We would be happy to work with the stormwater unit to determine the most appropriate mechanisms to future proof the proposed Waitemata NDC. Summary While we recognise that stormwater management is a multi-criteria process, requiring analysis of wide range of issues, we consider that the projected growth within the lifetime of the proposed NDC is the most significant matter facing Council. The proposed growth of the Auckland Plan will place pressure on the existing stormwater system, through increased runoff, contaminate loads, and flooding risks. While the stormwater system already faces these problems, they could be exacerbated by growth. However, careful management of this growth also offers opportunities for the redesign of stormwater system components and the alleviation of existing problems. As such, we suggest that by focusing on growth pressures, opportunities will arise to improve the other aspects of stormwater (as raised in the summary consultation document). It should also be noted that current refinement of the Auckland Plan’s growth modelling is underway, which will feed into the notified version of the Unitary Plan. Furthermore, the establishment of Special Housing Areas under the Housing Accord will place further growth pressures on the city’s infrastructure networks. Page 4 We look forward to working with the stormwater unit on this NDC application and future work. Should you have any queries regarding this memo or other Auckland Plan related issues, please do not hesitate to contact the author. Page 5 Appendix One – Development Strategy Maps Page 6 Page 7 Appendix Two – RUB Cluster Maps for North and Northwest Page 8 Page 9 MANUKAU HARBOUR CONSOLIDATED RECEIVING ENVIRONMENT: STORMWATER PRIORITIES CONSULTATION: FEEDBACK FORM Name: Hilton Furness Address: ESU, Auckland Council. Phone: 021 836 173 Email: [email protected] [these details are optional unless you want the Council to provide feedback to you] Questions: 1. From the stormwater issues already identified, what do you think are the priorities