Maria Hurley: Residents battle developers over central city

Many residents were astounded by the proposal to remove eight mature trees from the greenbelt along Campbell Rd.

Opinion

As a wave of pro-intensification development sweeps Auckland more residents will find themselves battling to preserve the character of their neighbourhoods.

Some of these struggles will last for years. This is the case for my Greenlane community which has been battling high-intensity proposals that break the rules at the former Kingsgate Logan Park Hotel.

Plans for the Campbell Rd site were first announced by the Marlin Group nine years ago. Residents opposed the scheme for a super-sized apartment and hotel complex and fought all the way to the Environment Court. Marlin won, but went broke in the global financial crisis.

Residents now find themselves battling another developer - Ryman Healthcare.

At first residents embraced the concept of a retirement village. Oldies are generally quiet and may not own cars. These sentiments evaporated when Ryman unveiled plans for a complex that was higher than the Marlin proposal (six storeys instead of five) and covered more of the site with buildings that were closer to neighbours on all boundaries. Ryman used Marlin's consented scheme as a baseline and inflated it.

During the first two days of the resource consent hearing, there was a steady parade of experts in dark suits presenting the Ryman vision of a high-rise retirement complex.

Plans showed an underground carpark to be excavated from a lava flow. An optimistic estimation of six months was given for the time it will take to blast and excavate 46,100cu m of rock. Residents will effectively have a working quarry over their back fence.

Advice from a Ryman's acoustics expert was to stay inside during blasting, keep windows closed, and wear "hearing protection".

Many were astounded by the proposal to remove eight mature trees from the greenbelt along Campbell Rd. The 1.7ha site is characterised by two landmark Norfolk pines (scheduled trees) in a park-like setting.

In Ryman's plans eight protected trees in this greenbelt will be chopped down to make way for 15 parking spaces. Having covered the site with buildings, Ryman's planners, in their wisdom, decided that trees must go to allow for parking.

Many residents have burned the midnight oil, anxiously scanning complex plans and reports to make sense of the proposal and argue against it. At times I felt baffled, disheartened but determined.

One woman told me she hadn't slept or eaten since the day before because of the stress of presenting her case. An elderly man talked of his bed-ridden wife who would be subjected to the noise of rock-breaking, blasting and heavy trucks.

Others spoke of their dismay at learning their backyard would be shadowed by the development after 4pm. For laypeople, appearing at a hearing is a demanding process.

But help was at hand. In walked the Cornwall Park Trust Board, with a lawyer and landscape expert, to argue against the Ryman proposal, particularly tree removal. The commissioners sat up, and residents heaved a collective sigh of relief.

The Volcanic Cone Society presented a detailed report opposing the application as the height breaches volcanic viewshafts. Finally, the Tree Council delivered a compelling argument to save the Campbell Rd trees. It was heartening to see professionals, volunteering their time and skills, to battle the big boys.

On the final day, it appeared all was not in vain. The Auckland Council's urban design expert had changed her mind after hearing submitters and no longer supported the proposal due to the loss of trees on Campbell Rd. Changes in balcony designs and stepping down of some buildings near boundaries were proposed.

Despite the odds, Aucklanders are prepared to fight to protect their city's natural attributes. It is predicted we will need to squeeze in a million more people over the next 30 years and if the council does not enforce its own rules on intensification, more residents will battle developers. It is heartening to know some organisations will step in to fight for principles they believe in.

• The Auckland Council hearing for a resource consent application for Ryman Healthcare to develop 187 Campbell Rd was held from November 26 to December 1 inclusive at the ASB Showgrounds. A decision is due on December 20 at the earliest.

Maria Hurley is a Greenlane writer.