Newmarket mall rivals sling off across street

By ANNE GIBSON property editor

A war of words has broken out between the rival mall developers in Newmarket, as they race to get their new shopping centres built.

After Auckland One announced its plans to redevelop and expand its Two Double Seven mall, Westfield's development manager, Karen Jeffs, criticised it and the groups supporting it.

"We are amazed that the Newmarket Business Association are supporting a 10-level mall with an airbridge over Mortimer Pass, when they have opposed our similar plans," she said. "We can only guess at the competitive interests at work in their decision to support Two Double Seven."

Auckland One's application for air space reinforced Westfield's view that its application for airspace was not unusual, she said.

And Westfield was waiting "with interest" to see Auckland One's application to build the mall, and particularly how it proposed to deal with traffic issues.

Auckland One's chief executive, Michelle McKellar, hit back, saying her mall would be only seven levels, not 10, and in fact most of it would only be between two and three levels.

Nor would the airbridge over Mortimer Pass have any commercial activity in it, Michelle McKellar said. This contrasts with Westfield's plans for a five-level structure over Nuffield St to link its mall with Broadway.

The revamped and extended Two Double Seven will be built on the street blocks bounded by Broadway, Clovernook St, Gillies Ave, Mortimer Pass and Morrow St.

The $300 million development includes 3341 car parks, 200 shops and 50,000 sq m of floor space.

Construction of the first block of shops in the development is due to begin early next year.

Although plans show a foodhall near the level one flyover across Mortimer Pass, an Auckland One representative said this area would be dedicated to public space.

Discussions over extending Clovernook St to link it to Gillies Ave are also under way between the Auckland City Council and Transit New Zealand.

Craig McGarr of planning consultants Bentley & Co said a street revamp was being discussed.

"Investigations are being undertaken to improve traffic management, including the opportunity to link Gillies Ave with Clovernook," said Mr McGarr.

Clovernook St is a cul-de-sac running off Broadway, but ends at the steep drop down to Gillies Ave.

But it could easily be linked with Gillies Ave, Mr McGarr said, with earthworks undertaken to change the gradients to allow the linkup beneath the Southern Motorway.

The Newmarket Business Association has endorsed Auckland One's plans, but is opposed to the $450 million Westfield mall proposed for directly opposite. That site spans an area so vast that it stretches from Remuera Rd to near the Southern Motorway's Newmarket Viaduct.

Association manager Robin Winter said; "We are particularly pleased with the predominantly two-level scale of the development and its active retail frontage onto Broadway, Morrow St and Mortimer Pass."

It also supports Auckland One's proposal to build an airbridge across Mortimer Pass because it would "enhance community access to facilities and remove conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians."

The association remains opposed to Westfield's plans, saying airspace is being sought there "to massively increase the size of the development for Westfield's advantage, to the detriment of other Newmarket stakeholders."

The director of Westfield New Zealand, Grant Hirst, refused to comment on Auckland One's plans: "That's their business."