Tolled off

Two and a half years after the Northern Gateway Toll Road took the bulk of through-traffic away from Orewa, the seaside town is struggling with change and growth. Natalie Tims and Sophie Bond report.
Michael Hanson has lived in Orewa with his family for almost six years. "We moved out here because of the lifestyle - you know, close to the city but not in the city, with a commute to work that is still acceptable."
He, like other residents, has noticed an increase in people and traffic in Orewa during the last five years as more people have moved to the coastal town.
He recognises there are pros of the community getting bigger, such as a greater availability of shops and recreation areas, as well as cons, "like losing that beach-town feel".
Curbing the urban sprawl of Auckland is creating controversy in other areas as new, high-density developments have residents fearing their communities will be robbed of character and left with a legacy of bad construction.
One example is Orewa subdivision Kensington Park, which came under fire from neighbours in April over plans to include five-storey apartment blocks and more houses.
One neighbour described the subdivision in The Aucklander on April 14 as bland, with "houses packed so tight you could open the window and pass a cup of tea to your neighbour". Another resident considered it too built-up and dense.
But Mark Peldmanis, Kensington Park's development manager, believes high-density development makes sense.
"It's a better use of land resources, reducing urban spread, and a better use of infrastructure with more homes per mile using the utilities beneath the road.
"If everyone had their own pool and garden, we'd be up into the hills and across the motorway before you know it."
Medium- to high-density trades private open space for public open space and provides lower-maintenance living, says Patrick Fontein, a property developer and Kensington Park's original owner.
"Some people actually want to live like that, with low-maintenance requirements," he says. "If people can't understand why some residents want to live so close to each other, that's their own perspective."
Just one of Orewa's residential developments, Kensington Park was unveiled in 2008 by then-Rodney District mayor, Penny Webster.
Later in 2008 the development went into receivership. It was bought by Auckland developer John Sax in 2009.
"It was always intended to be a high-quality, master-planned residential development," says Patrick.
"The council's main issue is going to be managing the quality of intensification, but if we don't want Auckland to grow by sprawl, there will have to be greater intensification."
Millwater, a series of subdivisions with the capacity for 3000 homes, flanks the Orewa River between Orewa Beach and Silverdale and estimates its population will grow to 10,000 residents in the next 10 years.
Marketing manager Nick Hornby says most people buying property here are from the North Shore.
"People still want the house with the backyard for the kids to run around in," he says, although Millwater has allocated sites for high-density development in the future.
Leanne Smith, operations manager of business association Destination Orewa Beach, says Orewa is determined not to make the mistakes of other coastal communities.
"Orewa is a boutique coastal society with a small urban community that wants quality construction, and the Auckland Council must encourage guidelines within which property can be developed," she says.
In the meantime, Michael and his family are determined to consider the positives of their growing community.
"I think Orewa is still a popular retirement area, which is a good thing, but there are more families moving here, too, which is also a good thing - having that spread of age groups," he says. "Right now, Orewa is pretty safe for my teenage kids - but who knows whether that will change?"
So where to from here?
Michael Hanson has a big question: "Are we going to end up like another Mt Maunganui?"
The Bay of Plenty town mushroomed in the 80s and 90s. High-rise apartment blocks replaced baches, arguably bulldozing its heritage and identity.
The concern Orewa could be heading for a similar look is echoed by other locals spoken to by The Aucklander.
Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby holidayed in Orewa after last year's elections. "My observation of Orewa is that it has some great open spaces, and it's key to protect what you've already got. It was lovely."
We tell him locals are worried their town will end up "like Mt Maunganui".
"They're right," he says, "there's always a risk with rapid growth and we have certainly experienced that. In particular, Mt Maunganui North experienced a great deal of growth.
"I would absolutely say to them you need forward planning. You've got to really have a vision and a clear understanding of what you want it to be, both physically and visually. It's a conversation the leadership of Orewa needs to have with the locals."
On the council since 1986 and mayor for seven years, he says wryly: "Once it's built, it's almost impossible to undo.
"One of the key things we've attempted to protect is public access to the open spaces and that is absolutely critical when you have very rapid growth. You certainly don't want to restrict the reasons that make people come to work and play in Orewa."
And come they do. Despite fears the Northern Gateway Toll Road would lead to a drop in visitors, two and a half years on, the mood is sunny.
It's 10.30am on a Monday. The sun is out and so are the tables as people sip their coffee at pavement cafes and the sea glitters beyond the Norfolk pines.
The Puzzle Shop is in what may or may not be the town centre - it's hard to tell with Orewa. Owner Steve Murphy is chatting to a steady stream of customers, an 18,000 piece puzzle brightening the wall behind him. The Albany resident has been commuting here to work for 18 months.
He admits he wasn't here for the "before", but feels there has been no detrimental effect from the toll road. "They did up this boulevard area," he gestures out the front of the shop,"and it has become a bit of a magnet."
He believes the beach is the town's best feature and, while he doesn't want high-rises, he feels some sort of development is needed.
"We could make more use of the foreshore, I see a lovely opportunity for a bandstand or sculpture along the waterfront.
"The problem with Orewa is it is fragmented, a rabbit warren. It reminds me of Tauranga. I would be in favour of some consolidation. It needs to be better-presented, to be put on the radar."
Steve reminisces with a customer about a festival which closed Hibiscus Coast Highway to traffic. "It was just beautiful, wasn't it? That's what we need to do, bring things in that make [Orewa] buzzy."
Diane Arnold works in clothing boutique Laissez Fashions. She feels the town needs something to "bind it together" but, in general, business has improved over the last couple of years.
"There was a big fear that people wouldn't stop off here after the toll road went in," she says, "but I think it's been good for the town.
"Now we don't have the trucks going through, they have been able to redo the boulevard and make it more user-friendly."
She thinks the next issue to address is parking in the central business area - there are too few spaces and the 90-minute limits don't allow for
a leisurely lunch and browsing shops.
On a cultural note, David Poole holds a full-time voluntary position as director of the Estuary Arts Centre in Western Reserve, at the southern end of town. Today the Knitcetera exhibition is on display, featuring a crocheted coral reef and knitted vegetables, among other curiosities.
David says the toll road hasn't slowed visitor numbers and acknowledges the gallery's position next to the information centre is a bonus. He would like to see some creative solutions to enhance the waterfront and give people more reasons to spend time in Orewa.
"Destination Orewa," he sighs, referencing the local business association. "There is no real destination.
"I've had an idea to create an 80-artist project to give a feature to the area. Of the two art pieces installed by [former Rodney District] council, one is outside council offices, the other by a public toilet. They were all about toilets."
He's a little despondent about the town's future. "There's really nothing to tell you you've arrived in Orewa when you come into town from this side."
The Plantation Cafe supervisor Rebecca Giles has been working here for 12 years. There are just four customers in the large, airy tearoom, and Rebecca says winter is traditionally quiet.
She says the big difference since the opening of the toll road is that truck drivers rarely drop in.
"We used to get a lot of the drivers stopping in and now we don't - just a handful."
She gestures across the road, "when the camping ground is packed, then we're busy, but people travelling north don't want to stop here, they'd rather keep going". There's still a steady flow of customers for the generous ice creams - hokey pokey is the firm favourite - and the home-made pies are popular.
"But we've got so many cafes in Orewa now. When I started, there were three at the most. Now there are 10 to 12."
She says the town is growing so quickly its amenities will soon be insufficient.
"With the new mall and supermarket opening in Silverdale, I think that will take some of the business away."