Kura Kaupapa Māori School Designation Tikitere, Rotorua LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL AMENITY ASSESSMENT REPORT September 2020 Client Name: Ministry of Education Project Name: Kura Kaupapa Māori, Tikitere, Rotorua Document Name: Landscape and Visual Effects Report Document Status: Final Date: 14 September 2020 IGL Reference: 4137 / C2 Author: Simon Button Reviewed: Brad Coombs Isthmus Group Limited 43 Sale Street PO Box 90366 Auckland Tel: 09 309 9442 Copyright. The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole without the written consent of the Isthmus Group Limited. 200914 4137 Tikitere Kura Kaupapa Māori School NoR Assessment 2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY 4 THE PROPOSAL 6 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 7 Context 7 Site 9 PLANNING CONTEXT 10 Resource Management Act (RMA) 10 Rotorua District Plan (RDP) 11 ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTS 12 Landscape Character Effects 13 Visual Amenity Effects 15 RECCOMMENDATIONS 17 CONCLUSIONS 18 Appendix A – Graphic Attachments 200914 4137 Tikitere Kura Kaupapa Māori School NoR Assessment 3 INTRODUCTION The Minister of Education has lodged a Notice of Requirement (NoR) with Rotorua Lakes Council to designate land to the south of State Highway 30 (SH30), in order to relocate an established Kura Kaupapa Māori and Wharekura o Ngati Rongomai (Kura and Wharekura) for Years 0 – 13 and kohanga reo (Māori immersion early childhood education centre). Isthmus Group Ltd (Isthmus) has been engaged to undertake an assessment of landscape and visual effects arising from the introduction of the proposal into the site. This assessment has been informed by the proposed conditions relating to building bulk and form1 which accompany the NoR. Based on the proposed conditions, Isthmus have anticipated how the proposal will likely be integrated into the site’s receiving setting, in order to assess landscape and visual effects for the local community and other users of the area. ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY The methodology to assess landscape and visual effects of the proposal has followed best practice guidance as set out by the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects’ Best Practice Guidance Note 10.1, and has included: • Site visits to understand the site and its context, and to record the existing environment with photographs, maps and diagrams. Site visits were undertaken on 28th March and 26th April 2019. The author of this assessment report is familiar with the site and the surrounding area; • Description and evaluation of the existing environment (the site and broader context); • Review of the provisions for the Rural Environment in the Rotorua District Plan; • Review of the proposed Building and Bulk Conditions prepared by Tonkin and Taylor (T+T); • Review and consideration of other Kura Kaupapa projects recently implemented by the Ministry of Education to understand the likely scale and nature of a proposal of this type; • Visual appraisal, including identification of the visual catchment (areas from which the proposal and the site will likely be seen), viewing 1 Proposed conditions relating to building bulk and form are included on page 27 of the NoR documentation prepared by Tonkin and Taylor. The conditions are also included with the proposal section of this assessment for reference. 200914 4137 Tikitere Kura Kaupapa Māori School NoR Assessment 4 audiences and their likely sensitivities to the proposed change, and key viewpoints where visual effects are likely to be most pronounced; • Assessment of landscape and visual effects arising from the proposed designation; • Recommended mitigation measures to manage landscape and visual effects; and • Conclusions. The landscape character and visual amenity values are described within the main body of this report, with reference to a rating scale for the values. In order to be consistent with the ratings of the values described, in relation to potential effects, the same seven-point scale (below) is used in order to achieve a level of standardisation2. Words are used in preference to numbers to reduce the likelihood of using ‘scores’ in a formulaic way. A comparison on how the value ratings relate to the RMA scales of ‘less than minor’, ‘minor’ and ‘more than minor’ is also provided. Very Low Low Moderate Moderate Moderate High Very high – low – high Less than Minor Minor More than Minor Change in a landscape does not in itself mean that a proposal will result in adverse effects. The nature of effects can be Adverse (negative), Neutral (benign) or Beneficial (positive). An assessment of effects combines both value ratings (Very Low – Very High) and nature of effects (Adverse, Neutral, Positive). Where a proposal will have absolutely no effect, a nature of effect rating of ‘neutral’ will be provided, without a value rating. Where a proposal has an effect, but that effect is neutral, a nature of effect rating of ‘neutral’ will be provided with the appropriate value rating (e.g. Very Low, Neutral). The methodology section above sets out a series of ‘steps’ that have been taken to assess the landscape character and amenity values of the site and wider receiving environment, and the visual effects of the proposal on that environment. These steps are provided so that the key matters that have been taken into consideration are clear. The detailed description of the work undertaken, and the conclusions reached is contained under the relevant headings throughout this report. 2 The scale is symmetrical around ‘moderate’. The scale is based on the recommended NZILA Best Practice Guide, however it uses only neutral terms (and avoids ‘severe’ and ‘negligible’). 200914 4137 Tikitere Kura Kaupapa Māori School NoR Assessment 5 THE PROPOSAL The proposed designation seeks flexibility in terms of the eventual site layout and use of the site, with the detailed design of the Kura not yet known. It is typical however, that any school / Kura catering for years 0 to 13, with a roll of approximately 325 children and a staff of 38 full time equivalents would include some or all of the following: • Buildings including classrooms, hall, library, administration office space, staff workspace, caretakers’ facilities, sick bay etc; • Playing field(s), hardcourt(s), playground structures; • Vehicle accessways, parking space for staff and visitors, temporary drop off and pick up areas, loading bays; • Landscaping and fencing; and • Services; including water, sewer, stormwater, electricity, heating and telecommunications. The future design and development of the site will be informed by the building bulk and form conditions prepared by T+T which accompany this application. For completeness, the proposed conditions (bold) and their explanations are outlined below: • Maximum building height on the ridge of 7.5m. This building height restriction is limited to the ridgeline within the site which runs broadly parallel to SH30. The extent of the ridgeline height restriction is illustrated within the NoR documentation3 and is included within Appendix A to this assessment. A restriction of 7.5m building height on the ridgeline complies with District Plan height controls4 and will help to ensure that the height of development on the ridgeline is not overly prominent. • Maximum building height across the remainder of the site of 12m. This building height restriction is to allow for the development of a school hall and associated pou whenua in the less elevated and less visually prominent parts of the site. • Building setback of 7.5m from northern site boundary (with SH30). A more generous building setback is proposed along the northern site boundary, where views into the site are more available from SH30. An 3 Section 9 (Nature of Proposed Conditions upon the Designation), Page 27, Notice of Requirement document prepared by Tonkin and Taylor, Dated May 2020. 4 District Plan height controls for the Rural 1 (Working Rural) Zone. 200914 4137 Tikitere Kura Kaupapa Māori School NoR Assessment 6 increased setback along the northern site boundary will allow for additional planting if required. • Building setback of 5m from all remaining boundaries. A 5-metre building setback form the eastern, southern and western site boundaries to provide an appropriate separation between the site development and the adjacent lots. • Maximum site coverage of 25% (approx. 1.1Ha). To ensure the site is not ‘over-developed’ and retains a rural setting and character. This condition is in accordance with the performance standards in relation to site coverage included within the Rotorua District Plan (RDP)5. Whilst no design has been prepared at this stage, this Landscape and Visual Assessment anticipates that the proposal would be comparable to other Kura of a similar size, with the design being guided by the proposed building form and bulk conditions. Whilst the development of the site will likely result in earthworks, this will be consistent with the other rural residential development within the site due to the 25% site coverage condition. The site access will be located and designed in accordance with the NZ Transport Agency Planning Policy Manual Diagram E, with modifications including channelised left and right turn bays6. A list of landscape recommendations, specifically relating to landscape planting is provided towards the end of this report. The implementation of the landscape recommendations will assist in integrating the proposed development into the receiving landscape and visual environment. EXISTING ENVIRONMENT Context The site is located to the south east of the Brunswick Park residential estate, Tikitere, on the south side of SH30. Vehicle access into the site 7 is gained from SH30 in the north western corner of the site, with the highway oriented broadly north east to south west. The site entrance is located opposite a private drive to the north of the highway which provides access to lots 111, 111A & 111B SH30 to the north. 5 As identified in paragraph 9.6.3.a of the RDP. 6 As illustrated on Figures 3.20 and 3.25 of MORSAM Part 2, attached as Appendix C of the ITA within the NOR report.