Introduction
The
Roskill Community Voice team is proud to announce our Vision for Three Kings,
an integrated policy platform that we present to the community ahead of the
local government elections this year.
We
believe that it is important that the local community can have confidence that
their representatives have comprehensive and well-thought out policies on key
local issues, and we hope that this document helps you to understand the
approach we will take if elected to the Puketapapa Local Board.
We
all know that change is on the horizon for Three Kings. The re-development of
Three Kings Quarry is likely to commence within the next 5-10 years, and plans
for what the end use will be are already under development. The Unitary Plan
may also result in changes to the look and feel of the Three Kings community,
with most parts of Auckland
being zoned for some degree of intensification.
Change
cannot be avoided, but it is our belief that the local community must have a
strong voice to ensure that it is our community’s vision that shapes the future
of Three Kings.
We
have been listening to the community over the past three years and have
developed a set of policies that respond to key local concerns.
Our
Vision sets out policy in four key areas:
- A plan to restore
Big King, our neglected maunga.
- Our vision for a
quality development on the quarry site, with real public amenity
- Proposed Unitary
Plan provisions and how we ensure quality development
- Protection and
promotion of our local heritage and character
Most
importantly, we believe that local community must have a strong voice in
charting the future of Three Kings. We will always ensure that the residents
and groups of Three Kings are informed and involved in decisions about Three
Kings and we are open to good new ideas and perspectives.
We
are excited about our Vision for Three Kings and with your support, hope to be
able to implement this vision on the new Local Board. Please contact us with
any questions or comments.
Restore Big King
We believe
that it is time for real leadership in our community to restore our neglected
maunga. Big King/Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta is a source of local identity and pride,
but it has been treated poorly over many years. With focus, resources, and a
partnership approach we believe that Big King can have its mana restored and
public amenity improved.
Action we
will take:
- We have
led the public process to get public art back on the reservoir after
‘Grumpy Cat’ was removed. In the short-term we will work with the local
community to identify the preferred concept, and we will then work with
Watercare to get this actioned.
- Longer-term
we believe that the reservoir must be removed from Big King. We acknowledge
that this will involve working with Watercare on technical issues and that
it will not be resolved quickly. However, it is time to make a start.
Removing the reservoir is about respecting the maunga as a place that is
important for iwi and community, and not just seeing it as a prop for
infrastructure.
- With co-management
of Auckland’s volcanic cones coming soon we believe it important that the
Board builds a strong relationship between itself, local community, and
the Tamaki Collective, so that a collaborative plan for restoring Big King
can be developed.
- We will support the
creation of a Friends of Big King group so that there is a clear channel
for the community to be engaged around maunga issues.
- Within the first
year of the new Board, we will establish a dedicated budget line for
restoration of Roskill’s two volcanic cones.
- In the short-term,
we will look to fund a range of measures to improve community access and
amenity including a renewal of the crumbling path and improvements for dog
users.
- We will establish a
programme to better control rats and possums around Big King, including a
scheme for neighbouring residents to receive free or low-cost possum
traps.
We are running a postcard campaign
to show the strength of the community support for restoring Big King and
removing the reservoir. Please contact us to get involved. We also have signs that you can put on your fence to show your support!
A Quality Quarry Development
The
re-development of Three Kings quarry is the major planning issue faced by the
Three Kings community over the next decade. It is absolutely critical that
there is a strong community voice in this process, and that the development is
focussed on people and community. We believe that a high quality and
appropriately scaled development, with strong open space connections and
linkages to the town centre, could be of real community benefit.
Action we
will take:
- To
recognise the importance of quarry development issues for the Three Kings
area, we will create a dedicated Board portfolio position for Three Kings
development issues.
- We will
work with Auckland Transport to develop an integrated transport
interchange at an appropriate location so that public transport becomes
easier for locals to use.
- Take a firm
position with the developer (Fletchers) on behalf of the community to
support a development that balances private and public space, enhancing community
integration.
- Strong
advocacy for the development to assist in the restoration of Big King/Te
Tatua-a-Riukiuta, and to better connect Big King with other reserves in
the area.
- We will
strongly support completion of the current Precinct planning process and
also the development of a community- led ‘precinct layer’ that will have
effect in the Unitary Plan.
We will put forward the following three principles to guide the formation
of the ‘precinct layer’ and any subsequent development:
Principle
1. Community and Iwi Involvement: The future development of the quarry site is the major
public concern of the Three Kings community and is of intense interest across
the Puketapapa/Mt Roskill
area. For iwi the site is of immense historical and
cultural interest. The site is being privately developed, but given its scale
and impact on local people, there must be strong community and iwi involvement
in the process. Community and iwi are more than just stakeholders' to be
consulted. They are legitimate partners in a major undertaking that we will
live with for generations to come. The quarry owner (Fletchers) must enter into
a genuine partnership approach to reach the best possible outcomes for the
site.
Principle
2. Public Access and Open Space: Our
community has been cut off from good quality access to Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta for
too long. Future development of the site must substantially improve public
access to and around the maunga, and ensure that important public viewshafts
are not compromised. Any plans to create a large residential presence in the
quarry area must be balanced against the need for a significant net increase in
the amount of quality, well connected public space in the area. This will serve
to increase the attractiveness of any residential development, to provide community amenity, and to meet restoration
objectives for the site. The site should not be developed simply to maximise
private profit, but also to provide for the public good.
Principle 3. Quality Development that Builds Community: The scale of potential development on the quarry site
means that it will have a substantial impact on the urban form and nature of
community in the broader Three Kings area. It is essential that any residential
development be comprehensively planned with the strong involvement of the
community. Development must be sympathetic to the local community and
environment, provide good transport connections, integrate with a re-vitalised
town centre, and be in line with the Auckland Plan vision of creating a truly
'liveable city' - including provision for affordable and social housing. A
'hole in the ground gated community' is not acceptable. This must be a place
that is inclusive, attractive, and contributes to overall community cohesion
and wellbeing.
The Unitary Plan
We want to see the future
development of Three Kings done in a careful and sensitive way. Gentle intensification as envisaged by the
Unitary Plan can be done well, but we must ensure that development is
appropriate to local conditions. Local input into the ongoing development of
the community is essential.
Action we
will take:
- We will
support high quality intensification in appropriate places. The
preservation of character and amenity must be prioritised.
- Advocacy
for a reduction in the 8 story maximum height limit proposed for Three
Kings Town Centre and the development of a fine grained approach to
heights so that we get a local solution that works for this area rather
than a cookie-cutter approach imposed from above.
- We will
place major emphasis on the quality of new developments and sympathy with
neighbouring properties, including the use of graduated buffer zones so
that there are more gentle changes in height, rather than the scenario of
a large block next to a small villa.
- Working
to ensure that Three Kings remains a place that people can afford to live
in, with access to affordable and social housing. We will work with HNZ to
ensure good quality redevelopment of existing public housing stock,
preserving or increasing number of properties, and ensuring integration of
housing types to avoid ghettoisation.
- In line with our
position over the past term, we will advocate for much stronger
notification requirements before significant developments go to consent so
that local community can provide meaningful input.
- Strongly advocate
for local flooding issues to be dealt with. Advocacy for improved
stormwater infrastructure before there is large-scale development, and
better planning rules to prevent inappropriate development.
- We will argue for
strong protection of our local heritage, including support for the
pre-1944 demolition controls, and the identification and protection of
important heritage sites and character zones.
Protection of Local Heritage and Character
Three Kings was in many ways the
birthplace of modern Mt Roskill. We have a rich local history, including
significant patterns of Maori and colonial settlement. This heritage gives our
community real heart and soul. It must be protected and celebrated. We have led
the way in elevating Roskill’s heritage over the past three years and will
ensure that it is there for future generations to treasure.
Action we will take:
- We will continue to
push for the sympathetic restoration of the iconic Mt Roskill Municipal
Chambers for civic and community use.
- Continue the
development and roll-out of heritage interpretive signs to complement
existing signs and the new suffrage memorial (due to open 19 September at
the Rose Gardens)
- The development of 3
Kings Heritage trail taking in key local buildings, features, and sites,
so that local heritage can be better understood.
- Continued strong
advocacy for planning rules and zoning that protects key heritage sites
and character zones in Three Kings.
We have produced this in booklet format as well - please contact us if you would like a copy.
