By ANNE GIBSON property editor
The future of Westfield's giant Newmarket mall is in doubt after Auckland City Council planners came out against a key five-storey retail flyover above Nuffield St.
A confidential report leaked to the Herald and given to councillors last Friday torpedoes the proposal, which would have enabled Westfield to greatly increase the scale of shops on the awkward site and create a pedestrian link between Broadway and the bulk of its monster mall.
Westfield wants to build the $450 million, 11-storey mega-mall with 3000 carparks on a site extending from Remuera Rd to the Southern Motorway, but the proposal has drawn vociferous local opposition.
Getting the council to sell the airspace above the streets is one of the keys to the plan.
City planning chief John Duthie said yesterday that the planning department report by Karen Bell and Bruce Young recommended against Westfield's application for air rights and road closures.
"We are not recommending the council agree to the sale of airspace in the current form. We're not saying they can't build anything, but the negative impact of it doesn't outweigh the benefit."
Councillors will vote on Westfield's application at a full meeting starting at 6 pm on Thursday.
Westfield's general manager development, Chris McNamara, said he had not seen the report but wanted to work with the council on size and design. This could include scaling back the street flyover.
Westfield wants to build the 106m- long structure five levels high above Nuffield St, which runs parallel to Broadway, on to Remuera Rd.
The air bridge or flyover would allow Westfield to offer better-configured space to retailers needing square-shaped floors. It would also contain shops and link the mall to Newmarket's existing strip.
Report author Karen Bell said the problem was the lack of a set policy on the sale of air rights over streets in Newmarket.
Newmarket Protection Society spokesman Robin Bailey welcomed the report, saying it cast doubt on the viability of the whole project. The society mounted a campaign to stop the mall late last year.
The chairman of the Newmarket Business Association, Darryl Henry, said the planners' rejection endorsed the stand of local retailers, who back the expansion and redevelopment of the existing 277 mall.
Planners deal blow to Newmarket mega-mall
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