Plans for the site at 48 Esmonde St. Photo / supplied
Plans for the site at 48 Esmonde St. Photo / supplied
Rising sea levels don't concern a business planning a $350 million 231-unit apartment scheme at a Takapuna site with water on three sides.
Kingston Property has made a resource consent application to Auckland Council for the first and second stages of an apartment and hotel scheme at 48 Esmonde Rdon the approach to the motorway.
Dean Kimpton is a consultant to the business, former council chief operating officer and ex-managing director of AECOM.
He said today the development platform would be 8m to 9m above sea level "and the impact of sea level rise is therefore not considered an issue. The site and minor cliffs around the perimeter are well-vegetated and geotechnically sound".
KBS Capital wants to build on the 2.1ha site it bought from Harbourside Church for $40m last year.
"The elevated site with harbour frontage on three sides presents a unique opportunity to create a new harbourfront community with breathtaking views of Auckland Harbour, Harbour Bridge and city. The five-year project will contribute over 250 jobs to the local economy, deliver new-generation urban and environmental design, open up access to the community and promote sustainable transport," a statement about the scheme said.
Smales Farm is also planning a multi-tower apartment scheme on its site alongside the motorway north of Takapuna.
Kimpton said apartments at the Esmonde Rd site would start from just over $600,000 for a 58sq m one-bedroom and go up to $2.6m for a 160sq m penthouse.
Asked how the developers planned to deal with environmental issues at the site near the nesting grounds of rare and endangered shore birds at Shoal Bay, he said: "Plans are to build within the existing footprint and it's not going into the esplanade reserve."
The site is near the chenier plains or shell barrier beach at the end of Jutland Rd.
The developers refused to provide a copy of their resource consent application, with Kimpton saying a non-notified application has been made for stage one and two.
The application, supplied by the council, showed 80 car parks are planned in the first stage of 140 units with a hotel.
The plans for the apartments. Photo / supplied
Kimpton said a display suite is planned to be opened at 10 Northcroft St, Takapuna in October and pre-sales to be advertised in November or December.
Companies Office records show KBS Capital directors are Wei Liu and Xu Xin of Auckland. Kimpton said they were migrants from China but had been active previously. He cited Hobson Green at Hobsonville Point. Kimpton said Wayne Liu and Edison Xin were both New Zealand citizens. Xin had lived here since 2002, having graduated from Otago University and Liu, who graduated from Massey University, had lived here since 2005.
Consultants are Jasmax, Tonkin and Taylor, Campbell Brown Planning and Kimpton's Tuhura Consulting.
Ngai Tai ki Tamaki has been providing cultural advice and have a relationship with the site, Kimpton said.
The developers plan to build about 50,000sq m, of which about 20,000sq m is planned for the first two stages.
"The site is surrounded on three sides by seawater and one side by Esmonde Rd," the application says.
"The other side of Esmonde Rd is occupied by a small reserve and vast area of mangrove. The site does not have any immediately adjacent private property owner. The nearest critical private property is about 140 metres away to the southeast. Therefore the site practically offers an island setting."
Existing developments on-site currently include the church, childcare centre and park and ride.
About 260 car parks are now on the site.
The park and ride was established and designated 102 existing on-site car parking spaces with the intention of supporting the public transport system facility at the Akoranga Bus Station, the application said.
The distribution of the planned buildings into various bulk, height, form and architectural appearance was an attempt to offer a group of buildings in a village form instead of two large buildings, that said.
