Consultation
The main purpose of this portal has always been to encourage stakeholders to express their views, concerns and suggestions so we could address them in a collaborative way.
Our thanks go out to all stakeholders who have taken the time to engage thoughtfully in that process. We're confident that the end result will be an even more outstanding development and landmark destination for Dominion Road.
The following summarises the key issues raised and responses we've made to the design.
01. Height and other impacts
Some concerns were raised about the new building's potential dominance of the surrounding area, including overlooking other residential zones. In part, these concerns were mitigated through careful explanation of the overall Design Principles, such as orientating some of the biggest areas and features internally on the site, especially commercial uses. Changes related to other feedback have also played their part.
Some concerns were raised about the new building's potential dominance of the surrounding area, including overlooking other residential zones. In part, these concerns were mitigated through careful explanation of the overall Design Principles, such as orientating some of the biggest areas and features internally on the site, especially commercial uses. Changes related to other feedback have also played their part.
Overall, generous setbacks of the tallest aspects to reduce dominance, a low-level and smaller Dominion Road frontage, and residences facing onto an internal courtyard have eased concerns about dominance.
As an independent review by Boffa Miskell, one of NZ's leading planning, landscape and urban designers, concluded:
"Fully integrated residential development, sleeving the residential side streets and the positioning on the podium above the commercial area reduces the visual bulk of the development... [it] has been carefully designed to be a good neighbour and considerate of its established urban context."
02. Access and pedestrian safety
Understandably, vehicle movements across nearby driveways raised some concerns. A thorough review of potential truck and delivery movements resulted in several alterations to the design. These included revised car park levels with a separate entry for residential parking and a one-way enclosed service lane at the rear with better acoustics. A laneway concept at the rear of Lot 1 shops is under discussion with owners, improving pedestrian and service access while reducing movements on Dominion Road. Response to date from the owners has been broadly supportive.
Understandably, vehicle movements across nearby driveways raised some concerns. A thorough review of potential truck and delivery movements resulted in several alterations to the design. These included revised car park levels with a separate entry for residential parking and a one-way enclosed service lane at the rear with better acoustics. A laneway concept at the rear of Lot 1 shops is under discussion with owners, improving pedestrian and service access while reducing movements on Dominion Road. Response to date from the owners has been broadly supportive.
Our traffic consultants, TPC, are also in discussion with Auckland Transport about modelling and a number of other improvements. These cover the removal of problematic angle parking at junctions with Dominion Road, a new pedestrian crossing on Prospect Terrace, the realignment of turning lanes onto Dominion Road and other possible changes.
03. Parking on side streets
Input that residential street parking was already at capacity aligned with observations but turned out to be at odds with Auckland Transport surveys which did not indicate excessively high occupancy rates. In any event, while designed as a transit-orientated development making best use of public transport, the new complex will increase on-site parking from the current 218 to 277. Resident parking will account for 90 of those.
04. Delivery and collection noise
Noise is always something communities are concerned about. The Auckland Unitary Plan's provision for adjacent residential and mixed-use development, as in our case, poses new challenges, and this is one biggest areas of change to our original plans.
Noise is always something communities are concerned about. The Auckland Unitary Plan's provision for adjacent residential and mixed-use development, as in our case, poses new challenges, and this is one biggest areas of change to our original plans.
A significant alteration is to the loading bay area to the rear of the development. This design has now been internalised with full enclosure to limit noise. The results will be independently reviewed by leading acoustic engineers Marshall Day. On-site plant and machinery has also been internalised, with noise attenuation measures, and we're working with contractors on managing time frames for deliveries and rubbish collection.
It's also worth noting that when the existing site was a printing works it had around 30 deliveries per day. Total deliveries for the New World supermarket are estimated at seven or eight per day, on average.
05. Construction effects
There's no doubt that construction around residential areas may have adverse effects. Professional management, however, can substantially reduce them.
There's no doubt that construction around residential areas may have adverse effects. Professional management, however, can substantially reduce them.
A lot of work has gone into ways to mitigate noisy activities and building impacts from the development on our neighbours. This began right at the design phase, by excluding a basement car park that will avoid deep excavations.
Our construction partner, Dominion Constructors, brought in Hegley Acoustic early in the process to predict noise and vibration levels, aiming to mitigate them where possible.
On top of that, the Construction Management Plan has been designed to reduce emissions and construction pollution, minimise dust, prevent ground water contamination, and reduce and recycle waste as much as possible.
How the building is constructed makes a difference too. Using pre-cast components and what's called 'modular volumetric construction' shortens the construction period and reduces potentially disruptive activities on site. We're even reusing existing structures where possible. And we've also committed to ensuring that such things as demolition, earthworks and piling will be intensively managed.
06. Shading
Aside from complying with the usual shading analysis required under the RMA, we ensured the overall design would limit shading onto neighbouring properties and the main Dominion Road intersection. Again, we commissioned Boffa Miskell to undertake a review of the effects of the development and they concluded:
Aside from complying with the usual shading analysis required under the RMA, we ensured the overall design would limit shading onto neighbouring properties and the main Dominion Road intersection. Again, we commissioned Boffa Miskell to undertake a review of the effects of the development and they concluded:
"The building successfully manages the additional height and mass to break up the extent of shadow, limiting this to portions of [residential] front yards... to the east."
07. Competition with local business and retail
Comments from some residents showed concern about the impact the New World supermarket would have on local businesses, including Farro Fresh on Dominion Road.
Comments from some residents showed concern about the impact the New World supermarket would have on local businesses, including Farro Fresh on Dominion Road.
Research undertaken by Foodstuffs over the past 10+ years, as well as regular feedback from New World customers, shows considerable community support for a New World opening in the area. Farro and New World offer quite different product ranges and shopping experiences rather than being in direct competition.
In fact, as a drawcard for the area, the development is likely to attract more customers for a wide cross-section of local businesses. It will also help address the types of usage and amenity that are in short supply in the area, something the Dominion Road Business Association is keen to see. These include a shortage of good-quality commercial space at first floor level and car parking for businesses and their customers. Our development increases capacity in both these areas.
08. Traffic and safety
These are concerns right across Tāmakai Makaurau, as intensification grows. So, introducing new activities and uses with their associated traffic generation requires careful consideration. The community has expressed natural concern about ensuring ongoing safety for all road users and pedestrians. As a transit-oriented development, ours seeks to take full advantage of active and public transport while making the most of improved safety initiatives. To this end, traffic safety has always been a key part of the development team's planning, including working alongside Auckland Transport on an integrated traffic assessment (ITA). Some of the key outcomes include limiting vehicle access to Prospect Terrace and Grange Road, with pedestrian-only access via Dominion Road, as well as identifying a range of other traffic mitigation measures. As proposals take shape, we'll seek further community feedback on them.
09. Covid-19 Recovery Fast-track Consenting Process
There seems to be a misconception that this process, introduced by central government, is a 'short-cut' and less rigorous than usual council consenting processes. In fact, it can be argued that the process requires the supply of more detailed information.