Residents upset over consent for apartments

Mike Lee, left, and Christopher Dempsey with Rosa Volz, Paul O'Connor and Jill Tonks. Photo / Richard Robinson

A Parnell group is upset about approval for a big new apartment building, saying office workers' cars already clog their street.

Farnham St residents Jill Tonks, Rosa Volz and Paul O'Connor are angry that a six-storey 14-unit block with only 10 carparks has been permitted to go ahead at 9 Farnham St after Auckland Council approved it on a non-notified basis.

Councillor Mike Lee and Waitemata Local Board member Christopher Dempsey are also concerned.

The residents said they became aware of the huge development only recently, yet a council spokesman said it was signed off last year.

"The council approved a resource consent application for a new apartment development at 9 Farnham St in April last year.

"The proposal includes the construction of a five-level building with basement parking. The building will contain 14 apartments and 10 car parking spaces will be provided on-site.

"The site is within the Business Mixed Use zone, where a variety of developments including apartment development is envisaged.

"The resource consent was processed on a non-notified basis, after the council concluded that effects on neighbouring residents are less than minor," the spokesman said.

Tonks, Volz and O'Connor complained about an already congested area. Based on Auckland Transport traffic growth projections, they said there would be about 25 vehicles at the new block and those would need to be parked on Farnham St and surrounding streets, adding to the congestion. The apartments should be required to have 17 carparks and a loading space, the residents said.

Also, the new block exceeded the permitted maximum floor area for the site by more than 25 per cent, yet the consent was non-notified.