By ANNE GIBSON property editor
Large-scale multimillion-dollar state housing developments planned for various Auckland suburbs are raising the ire of residents who are angry that "pseudo ghettos" will be created on their back doorsteps.
Developments are planned for Lynfield, Glen Eden and Panmure, but residents are forming action groups to try to halt the plans.
The powerful Housing New Zealand, with $4.2 billion invested in rental housing stock nationwide, is marching back into the Auckland housing market under the Labour Government's orders.
Not only is it buying, it is also building.
Suburban residents are horrified at the plans and vow to stop that march in its tracks. Housing New Zealand has a business alliance with an Auckland developer Arthur Morgenstern and his Morningstar Enterprises - the same developer who recently built the controversial high-density state housing development in Avondale's Racecourse Parade. Photographs of residents hanging out washing amid a sea of fences dividing tiny backyards were published in the Herald in early September.
Now Lynfield and Glen Eden residents fear developments similar to the 42-unit Avondale eyesore will be built on their back doorsteps.
The developments across Auckland are the result of Housing New Zealand's political flip-flop. Not only did yesterday mark the end of market rents, but over recent months, Housing New Zealand has been gearing up to build large subdivisions.
The previous Government's active divestment policy is now being turned around into an active investment and development policy under the present Government.
But residents who favour "pepper-potting" to high-density estate developments say Housing New Zealand has not learned from the past and these major developments will create mini ghettos, overload schools and create problems in their communities.
On both the Lynfield and Glen Eden sites, Morningstar Enterprises is the developer with an agreement to on-sell the finished units to Housing New Zealand.
The 500-member Lynfield Action Group is opposing state housing proposed for a 1.7ha sloping site near the shopping strip, while the Glen Eden Action Committee is opposing the state housing development also in its retail centre.
Both residents' groups could head to court to try to stop building.
In Panmure, 24 low-cost Housing New Zealand units have been built and with the state owning 14 per cent of the houses in the suburb and Auckland City Council re-zoning much of the area for high-density housing rising up to six levels, residents are worried.
The Lynfield group has been in consultation with Morgenstern and Housing New Zealand, but says it has not met any success and is now considering High Court action. It is frustrated about Housing New Zealand's proposal to call a "design workshop" for the site, which the group says challenges its authority.
Meanwhile, the Glen Eden group wants a High Court judicial review to overturn Waitakere City Council's decision to grant Morningstar a non-notified resource consent to develop state houses on a site in Oates Rd.
Asked about the relationship between Housing New Zealand and Morningstar Enterprises, Housing New Zealand's investment contracts manager Margo Innes said Morningstar was "just one of many developers" with which it dealt. Morningstar had also developed a Housing New Zealand site in Avondale, she said.
The Lynfield development could be worth $6 million to $7 million, according to resident, lawyer and convener of the Lynfield Action Group, Les Allen. More than 350 people could live in the state houses proposed for the site. The land is occupied by the local Palmers Garden Centre, the Blockhouse Bay Hire Centre and the 3 Guys supermarket.
Allen says the site and suburb are highly unsuitable for large-scale state housing. His group is angry that talk of scaling back the development and also of including a significant amount of pensioner housing now appears to have been abandoned. He cites a recent letter from Innes proposing a "design workshop" for early December to consider "a new design for the entire site."
But Allen says this is merely "divide and conquer" tactics by Housing New Zealand and a "pseudo-consultative position."
Developer Morgenstern defends his plans, saying the Lynfield development will bring "high-spec" homes to the area. Citing the consent he has already been granted to build 40 houses at Lynfield for Housing New Zealand, he says he plans to build a further 34 there to be on-sold.
"In Glen Eden, we have existing consent to do 29 houses for Housing New Zealand."
Morgenstern says he has worked hard to liaise with the communities where he builds, "but people are prejudiced against Housing New Zealand."
As for the Lynfield residents' preference that the 74-house development be used for pensioner housing, Morgenstern says that is Housing New Zealand's prerogative: "I can't control who they lease to."
The easy access to shops, public transport and schools makes the Lynfield and Glen Eden sites attractive, says Housing New Zealand spokesman Tim Lawrey.
"Housing New Zealand is required to increase the supply of affordable, quality rental housing across Auckland and believes the proposed developments will be a positive contribution at a time of growing demand for housing in the region.
"The developments are also in line with the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy introduced by Auckland's regional and city councils."
Morningstar approached Housing New Zealand with the proposals for Glen Eden and Lynfield last year, Lawrey said. "We entered into a contract with the developer to buy and lease 29 units in Glen Eden and 40 in Lynfield."
He emphasised that Housing New Zealand was not the developer in either case, but said it had "taken on board community concerns, particularly in regard to design."
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