Commissioners reject eight storey Te Atatu building

Waitakere City Council has refused a resource consent application for an eight storey apartment and commercial building in Te Atatu Peninsula.

The panel, made up of two council commissioners and one independent, said the proposed 23.34 metre building at 543 Te Atatu Road would have significant adverse effects on the residential character of the surrounding area.

Duopharma Pacific Limited applied for consent to build the eight storey building, which included commercial space on the ground floor.

“Amenity values and residential character would be compromised by the height, bulk and scale of the building, including dominance and shading,” the panel said in its decision.
It also said the structure was not in keeping with existing residential development in the surrounding, predominantly low rise housing neighbourhood, and the application was inconsistent with District Plan policies which seek to maintain and enhance amenity values and neighbourhood character in residential areas.
“Development in such a location needs to be sensitively designed in order to minimise adverse impact, particularly in relation to the residential development that is located in close proximity to this site.”

The commissioners acknowledged that while the proposed apartment building would have some positive effects in terms of residential intensification and supporting the economic vitality of the town centre, the adverse effects outweighed the advantages.
They also noted that the locality is at the interface of commercial and low rise residential areas, and that it may be suited for more intensive residential development, but at a lower height.

The proposal attracted plenty of interest with 174 submissions received, with just eight in support of the application.
The Commissioners who heard the application were councillors Derek Battersby and Vanessa Neeson, and John Childs.