Vinegar factory plans turn locals' lattes sour

Plans to turn the old DYC vinegar factory in Ponsonby into a major eight-storey retail, office and apartment development is causing a stink in the historic inner-city suburb.

A little-known development company, Marlin Group, has bought the 1.3ha site, just off Ponsonby Rd, and has big plans for more than 30 shops, cafes and bars, a 717-seat cinema, 45 apartments, office blocks and a five-level underground carpark with 1241 spaces. The development will have its own pedestrian street and outdoor plaza.

The Auckland City Council has granted resource consent to start work on decontaminating and excavating the site, but has notified a number of district plan infringements for the public to have a say. The development has a shortfall of 231 carparks, exceeds height controls by about three storeys in places and has a total gross floor area of 44,747sq m. It is permitted 26,524sq m.

Marlin general manager George Hunter said the project was in its infancy and the company planned a quality development to blend in and benefit Ponsonby. The project had been notified and if it turned out the public did not want it "then it won't be built".

A concept for the development went before the council's urban design panel last November and this has evolved into a modern, sharp-edged design baring little resemblance to the architectural heritage of the area.

Council planner Graeme Mitchie said the thinking was that it needed to go back to the urban design panel.

So far, the panel has kept its thoughts on the project secret, but local Western Bays councillor Penny Sefuiva is highly critical of it. The development is also causing consternation among Ponsonby Rd businesses whose shops back onto the site, which fronts Williamson Ave, Pollen St and Crummer Rd.

Peter Hall, of The Italian Grocer, said the scale of the development would tower above the old two-to-three-storey shops on Ponsonby Rd and shade Western Park for a large chunk of the day.

"It doesn't fit with the iconic nature of the area. It will destroy strip shopping and be another Newmarket," he said.

Penny Sefuiva said the development was poorly designed, lacked community feel and was out of harmony with the area.

It blocked a special skyline view of the heritage-listed ASB Charitable Trust building on Ponsonby Rd, she said.

Mr Hall said the traffic on Ponsonby Rd was a nightmare now and adding 1200-plus vehicles would make matters worse.

Penny Sefuiva said the traffic impact would be huge, particularly at rush hour, with vehicles banked up along Ponsonby Rd from Newton Rd and the motorway, and clogging nearby residential streets in the Ponsonby-Grey Lynn area.

* Local residents are fighting plans by the Marlin Group to redevelop the former Logan Campbell Motor Lodge, opposite Cornwall Park, into 141 apartments and 100-bed boutique hotel.