Unitary Plan reaction: 'My wife is in tears, it's pretty awful'

A couple who moved from London to raise their young family in New Zealand are "devastated" by the latest plan.

Ben Grimer and Anna Macky spent their life-savings on a four-bedroom house on Kings Rd in Panmure to give their baby daughter Jessica, 2, a Kiwi upbringing. They have a second child due in September.

Their property had been zoned for mixed suburban housing, but was now allocated for terraced housing and apartment buildings.

Grimer said they are gutted at the change.

"My wife is in tears, it's pretty awful."

Grimer said developers had bought two dwellings that share a border with their property, and he and his wife are concerned about how their neighbourhood will change as a result of the new planning recommendations.

• Residents can search their property via a link on the council's website or the zoning maps here

"I'm quite surprised, quite taken aback that we've been rezoned the way we have. It'll definitely have an impact on us pretty immediately, I'd imagine the developers will submit plans within the next few months."

They have not ruled out taking drastic action as a result of their new zone.

"There's a strong possibility that we might consider upping sticks and moving, it's just not what we want for our family.

"We chose carefully, I came from London and I don't want to live in a highly urbanised environment.

"It's really early days but we're devastated by what's gone out."

Grimer has emailed councillor Denise Krum to express his disappointment.

YOUR FEEDBACK

• For me, this means loss of sun and views and a possible increase in rates. Very hard not to be a Nimby in this case. Also more congestion.
- Name not supplied

• For goodness sake look at road and motorway North before too much development in and around Warkworth. Just in the last couple of months it has taken 2hours plus..with accidents on the existing Puhoi/Wakworth journey ..that's not to mention the deaths and accidents in Dome Valley north of Wakworth. It seems the Waikato and Bay of Plenty have had their fair share ...what about giving some to the North/land residents a fair go. You hear the GovT mouthing off about the 'holiday highway'...think they are talking abut the rich listers..in Omaha. Believe it or not there are other hard working people that travel that road five days a week every year to get a living wage.
- A resident near Wakworth

• I've rather selfishly only looked at the area in which I live, but it doesn't bode well. It looks like the effect in Unsworth Heights/The Palms on the North Shore will mean the removal of a current sports field on Caribbean Drive to be replaced by houses and the change of zone from a general purpose park below this (Unsworth Reserve) into a sports field. People use this field to walk dogs, fly kites and play with their kids. A Sports field will take that away as you can't very well fly a kite or walk your dog through a football game, can you? There's already a perfectly adequate sports facility that's going to get covered by houses. How can removal of recreation and sports areas possibly benefit the suburbs (especially when they are 17km from the city centre)? Have the council tried to address the fact that the central city is a grossly undesirable place to live (particularly when it gets dark), in order to attract more people to dwell in the city in apartments? I think probably not. Instead, developers will be encouraged to build cheaply made, medium to high density homes in what were once well-used recreation areas that are on already over-crowded bus routes. Are they addressing the lack of parking at the park and ride facilities, while they're at it?
- Jason Cordelle

• Today's recommended unitary plan shows schools throughout Mt Eden as rezoned for housing. Maungawhau School Balmoral School Auckland Normal Intermediate Mt Eden Normal Primary School, etc Is this council's Auckland Home-School Plan?"
- Simon Fry

• Did Auckland Council think about 422,000+ extra cars on the road and make provisions in the Unitary Plan to provide extra roading, car parking, on-ramps for that in their plan to provide 422,000 extra housing. I doubt it. Perhaps activate plans for an improved train network service and a direct link in from the North Shore and beyond? I doubt it . Perhaps provision for more ferry berths in central city and surburban areas and an increased ferry service. I doubt it. Perhaps a direct public transport link to the New Zealand's largest international airport. Don't be silly! They'v already managed to stuff up the existing 'Skybus' direct fast bus to the airport with their plans to build a loop rail link around the city, that now arrives into the top of Queen Street - that's helpful, not! What will they surprise us with next? Did they have a small think about the incompetence of the AT Hop system and how inefficient that is and take measures to improve it. Doubt it. Auckland Council is guaranteed to spend public money excessively, ramp up costs for consumer research surveys and increase already exorbitant residential rates, and stuff up a city that is already bursting at the seams, and drive Auckland into a renters' domain because home-owners won't be able to afford the time to get around the city, nor the expensive rates that Council charges for the privilege to live in the chaos they call Auckland, unless they rent out their homes. My guess is that this Council has spent way too much on capital improvements, and need to rake in more revenue to pay off their loans - easy answer? Provide more housing, which provides more rates - Auckland Council's debt problem solved. Developers will love them, residents will loathe them, in fact already do. There's a big wide sea out there, my advice, travel by boat, Auckland is about to be gridlocked!
- Name not supplied