Improved outcomes sought through ‘Sleepyhead development’ appeal

Waikato Regional Council has today lodged an appeal to the Ambury Properties development at Ohinewai, in northern Waikato.  

The appeal will focus on seeking improvements and refinements to provisions in the hearings panel decision. 

Waikato Regional Council Chair Russ Rimmington said: “We have always recognised the positives that will flow from the proposal, in fact we have worked hard to grant consents sought from us for the industrial activity to occur.

“We welcome the creation of jobs in the region and our appeal seeks to ensure that, in tandem with job creation, we are ensuring quality communities are also being created.

“We have regional spatial planning documents created in conjunction with our local councils at significant expense. These documents have had community and iwi input and we are required to uphold their direction. We are concerned this is being used as an easy way to get around a community agreed spatial plan that won’t produce the quality urban form we’d signed up to.

“We know the region needs to provide more housing but it’s really important we are building quality and enduring communities.

“As a council we have some concerns that we believe have not been adequately addressed by the independent hearings commissioners in their decision. So we have lodged an appeal that is focused on specific provisions of the decision,” Cr Rimmington said.

The specific provisions of the decision where the council is looking for improvements include:

• management of flood risks
• public transport and car dependency
• accessibility and urban form
• water and wastewater connections.

The council will be working closely with Ambury Properties to work toward a neogatiated solution, noting that the appeal can be withdrawn should a satisfactory settlement be reached through the mediation process.

Management of flood risks

While council experts are of the view the site can be engineered to lift it above the flood levels, performance standards for floor levels and overall stormwater management provisions could be improved.

The council wants to ensure that modification of the flood plain associated with the residential development is done in a way that minimises impacts on adjoining properties.

Public transport and car dependency

The council wants people to have good accessibility between their homes, jobs, community services, natural and open spaces, including by way of public or active transport.

The isolated nature of the site does not easily support public or active transport and there are no provisions in the plan change to ensure public or active transport will be achieved for the development.

So through its appeal the council is seeking mechanisms to enable the provision of high-quality public transport services and supporting infrastructure.

It would also be preferable for recreation facilities, walking and cycle paths to be provided in the first stage of development so residents do not have to travel for all their day-to-day needs.

Accessibility and urban form

The council wants better connections between the existing Ohinewai community and the Sleepyhead development that will be separated by the Waikato Expressway.

Water and wastewater connections

There is a staging provision for wastewater connection for the later residential stages of the development which requires the Huntly wastewater treatment plant to be fully compliant with its resource consent prior to any connection.

The council is seeking to ensure the staging provision cannot be circumvented in the future. We also want to ensure that Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato (Vision and Strategy) is given effect to.

Cr Rimmington said: “As you can see, the matters are very specific. We want to continue working with the developers to get the best outcome for the here and now, but also to lay a quality foundation for a durable future. 

“We need to get this right. The decision has come a long way to address some matters, but the appeal will ensure that further refinements and improvements can be made to ensure quality workable and liveable communities for the Waikato,” Cr Rimmington said.