Big retail plans for Warkworth character village

An artist's impression of The Grange development in Warkworth, which will include a 24-hour BP service station and a McDonald's.

Residents concerned commercial development will add more noise and traffic congestion to State Highway 1.

Warkworth's village character and market town charm is being put at risk by a big retail development aimed at luring motorists on SH1, say residents.

The town's residents are shocked that a large retail development headlined by a 24-hour McDonald's and a BP service station was secretly approved by Auckland Council.

The council confirmed on Friday that an independent duty commissioner granted resource consents enabling the State Highway 1 development on a "non-notified" basis.

The reason given was that the 7089sq m retail proposal was consistent with planning for the area and would not have more than minor adverse character and amenity effects on the wider environment.

However, local politicians and residents say that they - if given the opportunity - would have pointed out potential effects on neighbours, traffic and business areas in Warkworth, which has been designated a satellite town to relieve city growth pressure. "This is a huge project for Warkworth and I'm surprised it went non-notified because it will have significant impact on the traffic, said Rodney Local Board deputy chairman Steve Garner.

"I'm shocked that NZ Transport Agency, as the road controlling agency, should agree to it when a few years ago they stopped projects on the basis they did not want more traffic movements."

Mr Garner said the town was starved of investment in roading and bridging to ease its traffic woes.

It was unfortunate for Warkworth that the disused garden centre site was zoned commercial by the former Rodney District Council, despite the risk of scattering business activity about the town.

Local board member Greg Sayers said the community was concerned, mainly about the traffic impact on an already clogged SH1 at weekends.

"I think it's disgraceful not to notify the proposal and give all the facts and have some transparency around granting of consents."

Resident Corrine Greenwood said she found out the neighbouring development was under way when she was hanging out her washing and heard a strange noise.

"No one said there was going to be a 24/7 McDonald's and what about the lighting through the night? We are going to have that blimming great Golden Arch shining in our bedroom window."

"How can they just go ahead building such a big thing in the community and we have no say in it?"

Developer Colin Reynolds said if the proposal had gone to a notified public hearing, it would still have passed as meeting the Resource Management Act requirements "because the effects on the community at large are less than minor".

The process took seven month's work, including commissioning experts' reports on effects on noise and traffic and intersection safety audits.

"We think Warkworth is a great little town and we are not trying to change the character. We're just providing a facility for the people travelling by and for additional growth in the town's population.

There would be 20 new small businesses, some of them serving food and beverages and employing an average of 10 full-timers.

The development was in the expanding south side of Warkworth and it was due for completion in late next year.

New kid on the block
7089sq m retail development in the 80km/h area of SH1, on the south side of Warkworth.
22 tenancies, including BP, McDonald's, gym, childcare centre, retail and restaurants and cafes.
235 car parks with access to SH1, both directions
18,000 vehicles pass the site daily.