New town could arise on Kingseat Karaka land

An aerial view over the Kingseat Karaka block used for market gardening and adjoining former Kingseat psychiatric hospital (at left).

The sale of 28 hectares of land next to the former Kingseat psychiatric hospital at Karaka south of Auckland could mark the birthplace of a new satellite town.

The site at 9 McRobbie Rd flanks an inlet of the Manukau Harbour and is for sale with a new zoning change in place allowing for its intensive development.

Ben Bayley, Bayleys South Auckland's sales manager, says the property is located in the heart of an area where the new Kingseat Structure Plan allows for the development of a substantial number of residential sections and associated commercial facilities.

The property is featured in the just-released Bayleys Greater Auckland magazine and is forsale by tender, closing April 7, 2016.

Ben Bayley, Bayleys.

He says Plan Change 28, which became operational in July last year, has rezoned the structure plan area of about 261 ha from Rural to Urban.

"This will enable Kingseat, currently a small rural community of around 600 people between Karaka and Waiuku, to be developed into a satellite town. It could become home for up to 5000 people and also service a wider catchment population of more than 10,000," Ben Bayley says.

Around 185 ha has been rezoned Residential, allowing for housing development of varying densities on land mostly in, around and north of the former Kingseat Hospital and including 9 McRobbie Rd.

Ben Bayley says the 27.945 ha property for sale is in apivotal position on the doorstepof the proposed town centre to be developed on the intersection of McRobbie, Linwood and Kingseat Roads which the site borders.

"It's the pick of the sites available for development under the structure plan because of its closeness to the town centre which is likely to be progressed once essential services infrastructure for stormwater and sewage treatment are in place. The structure plan allows for a greater intensity of development the closer properties are to the town centre to ensure vitality around the centre."

Ben Bayley says the contour of the McRobbie Rd property is mostly "easy rolling" which makes it ideal for residential development and its northern boundary is an esplanade reserve on the Clarks Creek inlet off the Manukau Harbour.

He says the current owner commissioned a masterplan for the possible future development of the property within the rules and design guidelines established by Plan Change 28 which would allow for approximately 500 residential dwellings. Features of the masterplan include:

• Three storey village centre in the south east corner of the site which would incorporate high density apartment and/or commercial elements such as shops and offices.
• A large lot zone, located on land nearest the waterfront, with minimum section sizes of 2500 sq m configured to maximise privacy and frontages to the esplanade reserve.
• Detached housing area on minimum section sizes of 450 sq m.
• Medium density residential zone, mainly for terrace housing.
• Four neighbourhood reserves at key locations plus the harbour-side esplanade reserve, with coastal and streamside walking trails.

In 2007, the Franklin District Growth Strategy identified Kingseat as an appropriate location to accommodate a proportion of the district's predicted growth and to also take on a wider role in servicing the surrounding rural and coastal area including Clarks Beach, Waiau Beach and Waiau Pa.

Aerial view over former Kingseat psychiatric hospital with neighbouring cultivated land for sale beyond and Manukau Harbour in the distance.

Bayley says Kingseat is part of a rural development strategy to try and consolidate Franklin's future growth into existing villages and hamlets to ensure that fertile food growing land stays productive and to put a cap on the number of lifestyle blocks which have proliferated in the area.

"It will also be an important component in the drive by Auckland Council and Government to substantially increase the region's housing supply, particularly at the more affordable end of the market."

The Kingseat Structure Plan (Plan Change 28) was drawn up by the former Franklin District Council in partnership with Kingseat Village Incorporated, a group of residents, landowners and developers. In addition to the big increase in residentially zoned land, the future town centre and southern parts of Kingseat have been zoned Business and Light industrial to provide for retail and other commercial activities to service the needs of the local area and the wider population catchment.

The remaining areas of land have been zoned Recreation and Coastal and will include an eight hectare sports park, neighbourhood parks, riparian reserves and walkways and community facilities. The plan also features a farmers' market site and potential for a new school.

Ben Bayley says Plan Change 28 seeks to protect and provide for important features within the Kingseat Structure Plan Area while enabling subdivision and the range of residential, business and recreational developments to proceed in an integrated manner. There is an expectation that a high standard of amenity will be achieved within the area through land use and subdivision controls, consent requirements and assessment criteria.

The site at 9 McRobbie Road, is approximately 275 metres wide and 851 metres long, and is currently used for cropping. It has two glasshouses and a lease to a market gardening business which is producing some holding income.

The property is about 20 km north of Pukekohe and 12.5 km from Papakura and its SH1 southern motorway interchange. It is also around 10 minutes from the Hingaia Peninsula where significant residential and commercial development has already been undertaken and further massive housing developments are planned to cater for around 10,000 more residents by 2050.

Ben Bayley says another big project planned for the vicinity is the staged, 15 year development of a new 300 ha industrial subdivision around Stevenson Group's quarrying operations in Drury which is expected to create more than 8000 jobs and increase demand for housing in the area.