Councils agree on planning provisions for boat building cluster at Hobsonville

An Environment Court appeal relating to development on the former Hobsonville Airbase land has been resolved following negotiations between Waitakere and North Shore city councils.

The North Shore City Council had appealed Waitakere City’s decision on Proposed Plan Change 13, which enables the development of a marine industry cluster at Hobsonville.

North Shore City Council Regulatory Committee Chair Callum Blair says that the Plan Change had not fully recognised and provided controls over the potentially adverse effects of the large new buildings needed by the marine industry on part of the old Hobsonville airbase site.

“We were concerned that the visual effects of these buildings would have affected Waitemata Harbour views from Beach Haven and other coastal suburbs, which are directly across the water from Hobsonville,” he says.

The two councils have now agreed on additional provisions, which include ensuring that new buildings have a variety of heights and shapes, and that existing and new vegetated buffers will be in place to help screen and provide visual interest to any new buildings when they are seen from the Waitemata Harbour and North Shore locations such as Beach Haven.

The Plan Change, which will allow development of approximately 20 hectares of land for marine industry purposes, is part of Waitakere City Council’s strategy to foster economic growth in the west and the employment of people from local communities.

Councillor Vanessa Neeson, chair of the Waitakere City Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee, is pleased with the resolution.

“The plan change amendments provide an improved policy and rule framework that addresses the issues raised by the North Shore City Council,” she says.

“They can now see the creation of some of the employment opportunities in Hobsonville on the horizon, with over 2000 direct jobs expected to be created when the entire marine industry area is operating.”

North Shore City Councillor Callum Blair says that his council supported the proposal for a marine industry cluster at Hobsonville, but there was considerable community concern over the potential visual impact of large boatbuilding sheds where they could be seen from North Shore City residential areas.

He says that he and local councillor Ann Hartley are very pleased with the outcome of the appeal, especially since the two councils were able to reach agreement without recourse to an Environment Court hearing.

Waitakere Properties Limited is also pleased with the appeal resolution, its chief executive Greg Parker says the negotiated improvements to the District Plan place Waitakere Properties in a strong position.

The concept plan is complete and WPL will lodge resource consents for the marine industry area he says.