Roskill Community Voice

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Fighting for Three Kings

Since receiving a majority on the Puketapapa Local Board in 2016, the Roskill Community Voice team has stood up for Three Kings.

We are the only Local Board team that has consistently stood up to Fletchers and Council, and we now need your support at the Auckland Council Elections.

  • The only Board team who has voted to oppose Fletchers’ plans for the quarry and surrounding areas.
  • The only Board team who has voted to oppose the Council/Fletchers land exchange, giving away Western Park.
  • The only Board team who has backed the community and given evidence in the Environment Court against the Fletchers proposal.
  • The only Board team who funded development of the Richard Reid alternative plan.

We have backed the Three Kings community against the Fletchers/Council/Nick Smith attempt to force through the quarry development, while our opponents have supported Fletchers and called for the Board to be “neutral by-standers”.

We need your vote at the 2016 Auckland Council elections to continue being a voice for Three Kings on the Puketapapa Local Board.

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Save Liston Village

Liston Village is a 25 unit retirement community in Hillsborough, adjacent to Monte Cecilia Park. In 2010 the former Auckland City Council agreed to gradually purchase it from the Catholic Diocese, not long before amalgamation.  The current plan, from 2010, is to demolish these units to widen the entrance-way to the park.

We believe the retention of a much needed social housing facility for seniors is more important than a wider approach to an already large (and beautiful) park.

In October 2015 we launched a campaign to Save Liston Village, with a community meeting attended by over 80 people, with the support of Ward Councillor Cathy Casey, Auckland Grey Power President Anne-Marie Coury, and local Member of Parliament Phil Goff.  The campaign includes a petition to Auckland Council which you can sign online here.  Contact us for paper copies and to be involved in this campaign.

The Puketapapa Local Board supports retaining the housing and commissioned a report investigating seniors housing provision in Auckland.

We will continue to fight to have the 2010 plan changed to allow for the housing to stay, and for Liston Village to be run by Auckland Council as a seniors community.

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Media statement: Roskill Community Voice backs Three Kings Alternative Plan in Environment Court, despite Auckland Council gagging

“The Roskill Community Voice team on the Puketapapa Local Board have formally voted to back the local Three Kings community and the alternative development scheme for Three Kings, developed by leading landscape architect Richard Reid”, say Local Board members Harry Doig and Michael Wood

“At a Local Board meeting last week, we formally expressed our support for the alternative plan developed by Mr Reid and gave it our political endorsement, even though Auckland Council is formally gagging the Local Board from being heard in the Environment Court case about the Three Kings development” says Mr Doig.

“Mr Reid’s alternative development scheme (available here) has our support because:

It delivers a strong residential yield, allowing for high-quality medium density development in the quarry, and supporting further residential development opportunities for surrounding land-owners.
It provides adequate open space and communal space for apartment dwellers and the local community.
It respects and rehabilitates our remaining maunga Te Tatua-a- Riukiuta/Big King by providing a sufficient buffer between development and the cone.
It is a high quality, modern design that creates connections across the community, and enables local residents to walk, cycle, or easily connect to public transport.

On every count, Mr Reid’s alternative plan is superior to the Fletcher Residential Plan, which raids and effectively privatises public reserve land, compromises Big King, and creates housing in a large depression up to nineteen metres deep, disconnected from the surrounding community”, says Mr Wood.

“Auckland Council has now formally blocked the Local Board from being heard in the Environment Court process on behalf of the local community. However the Board has given its political endorsement to Board members Harry Doig and Michael Wood giving evidence in their personal capacities in support of the alternative plan. Disappointingly, the C&R minority on the Board have called for the Board to be “passive by-standers” and continue to support the Fletchers position, rather than the local community”, says Mr Doig.

“The re-development of Three Kings is a major issue in our community and a huge opportunity if done well. We and the community support high quality medium density housing, developed in sympathy with the sensitive volcanic landscape, and connected to the surrounding community”, says Mr Wood.

ENDS
Contact:
Harry Doig: 027 241 2209
Michael Wood: 022 659 6360

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Media release: Local Board will fight Three Kings Land Exchange Decision

Local Board will fight Three Kings Land Exchange Decision
“Today’s decision by the Auckland Development Committee (ADC) to support the proposed Three Kings land exchange (for recommendation to the Minister) will be fought by the Puketapapa Local Board”, say Roskill Community Voice members of the Puketapapa Local Board; Harry Doig, Julie Fairey, David Holm, and Michael Wood. 
“On behalf of our community, we made a reasonable request today: that one other option for development of the site be seriously considered before a land exchange proceeds. We were disappointed that the ADC was unwilling to commit Council to a serious consideration of the alternative, a plan developed by leading landscape architect Richard Reid”
“We find it astonishing that a major land transaction involving public land worth many tens of millions of dollars may proceed with no thorough consideration of the options, and we note that the option that is proceeding is based solely on the proposal tabled by the developer (Fletcher Residential) at the beginning of the process”
“Many Aucklanders who care deeply about our volcanic landscape will also be alarmed to learn that the proposal approved by Council, which builds around the flanks of Te tatua a Riukiuta (Big King) has not had a landscape assessment completed. At a time when Auckland is preparing a World Heritage status bid for our Maunga it seems extraordinary that Council would approve a plan that involves large buildings up against Big King’s edge, while ignoring a development plan put forward by one of New Zealand’s leading experts in the rehabilitation of volcanic landscapes”
“We also lament the lost opportunity to build some unity around one of Auckland’s largest brownfield intensification projects. We support significant residential development on the site, and so would the community were there a proper process to address legitimate concerns such as the need to rehabilitate the volcanic landscape. If this is how Auckland Council manages large scale intensification with a pro-compact-city Local Board, how badly will things go in other areas? Alienating and cutting out Local Boards will lead to chaos and division at a time when Auckland desperately needs unity to build more houses” 
“Our Local Board has consistently advocated for a quality development at Three Kings that takes account of the volcanic landscape. We could build a large number of houses on the site, while respecting and enhancing our natural heritage and responding to community expectations. It is unfortunate that Auckland Council has turned its back on that opportunity. We reserve our options to fight this poor decision”, say the Board members.
ENDS
Contact:
Michael Wood – 022-659-6360

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Media release: Local Board will fight Three Kings Land Exchange Decision

Local Board will fight Three Kings Land Exchange Decision
“Today’s decision by the Auckland Development Committee (ADC) to support the proposed Three Kings land exchange (for recommendation to the Minister) will be fought by the Puketapapa Local Board”, say Roskill Community Voice members of the Puketapapa Local Board; Harry Doig, Julie Fairey, David Holm, and Michael Wood. 
“On behalf of our community, we made a reasonable request today: that one other option for development of the site be seriously considered before a land exchange proceeds. We were disappointed that the ADC was unwilling to commit Council to a serious consideration of the alternative, a plan developed by leading landscape architect Richard Reid”
“We find it astonishing that a major land transaction involving public land worth many tens of millions of dollars may proceed with no thorough consideration of the options, and we note that the option that is proceeding is based solely on the proposal tabled by the developer (Fletcher Residential) at the beginning of the process”
“Many Aucklanders who care deeply about our volcanic landscape will also be alarmed to learn that the proposal approved by Council, which builds around the flanks of Te tatua a Riukiuta (Big King) has not had a landscape assessment completed. At a time when Auckland is preparing a World Heritage status bid for our Maunga it seems extraordinary that Council would approve a plan that involves large buildings up against Big King’s edge, while ignoring a development plan put forward by one of New Zealand’s leading experts in the rehabilitation of volcanic landscapes”
“We also lament the lost opportunity to build some unity around one of Auckland’s largest brownfield intensification projects. We support significant residential development on the site, and so would the community were there a proper process to address legitimate concerns such as the need to rehabilitate the volcanic landscape. If this is how Auckland Council manages large scale intensification with a pro-compact-city Local Board, how badly will things go in other areas? Alienating and cutting out Local Boards will lead to chaos and division at a time when Auckland desperately needs unity to build more houses” 
“Our Local Board has consistently advocated for a quality development at Three Kings that takes account of the volcanic landscape. We could build a large number of houses on the site, while respecting and enhancing our natural heritage and responding to community expectations. It is unfortunate that Auckland Council has turned its back on that opportunity. We reserve our options to fight this poor decision”, say the Board members.
ENDS
Contact:
Michael Wood – 022-659-6360