MANUKAU CITY Projects

[Nicco]

Moving beyond the mall


Finally Manukau City Centre can look past the malls and retail barns to a new type of development which is focused on people and our planet.


An artists impression of Green Square.

Like many “edge” cities Manukau City Centre has been dominated by the car and developments such as malls and retail barns which rely on cars. Some critics of these types of development accuse them of being impersonal, bland and lacking anything original or unique.

A new development being planned for Manukau City Centre could radically change such a description for South Auckland‘s commercial hub.

Green Square will be Manukau City’s green heart. Green Square is a development planned for a 2.4 hectare site on the corner of Ronwood Avenue and Great South Road right in the middle of Manukau City Centre. The site will be progressively developed over the next ten years in five stages and will eventually provide 40,000m2 of retail and office space.

What will make Green Square unique is its focus on people and the environment. The buildings in Green Square will all have at least a 4 Green Star rating from the New Zealand Green Building Council.

Key requirements to gaining this rating are energy efficiency and sustainable building design and these concerns have been in forefront of design work for Stage 1 of Green Square.

On the people side Green Square will have focus on pedestrian amenity as well as safety and open space. The “square” in Green Square will be a football field sized open space open to the north and sheltered on the south and west by office and retail buildings.


Green Square will become the heart of Manukau City.
Much of this open space will be developed in Stage 1 and will be the site for events and performances during the summer and for open air markets during weekends and holidays.

Surrounding the square will be a series of bars, cafes, restaurants and boutique shops which will provide the basis for Manukau’s entertainment precinct.

Green Square is being developed by the Wiri Licensing Trust. The Trust built the first commercial development in Manukau City in the early 1970’s and plans to continue its commercial property investment activities with the Green Square development.

Trust Chairman Alan Johnson says the long-term focus of the Trust is a unique feature of this development and is demonstrated by its emphasis on building high quality buildings that will pass the test of time.

“The Wiri Licensing Trust is not a fly by night outfit looking to make a quick buck through shoddy development” Alan said. “We are committed to Manukau City Centre and to making it a place which people love and feel part of. We aim to do this by developing well designed buildings surrounded by generous open spaces”, he says.

“In Green Square we have deliberately moved away from the mall mentality where everything is contained in a big box without sunlight or fresh air”, Alan said. “We will give people more choice over the sort of environment they can have as a place to work in, to shop in and just to relax in”, he claims.

Alan Johnson believes that the retail – office mix in the development will work well. The retail spaces will have an emphasis on entertainment during both the day and evening so will provide a lively and attractive place for office workers to work above.

“Green Square will be great place to bring clients and customers to and will we hope become well known destination in Manukau City.”

Safety and security are critical concerns for the planning behind Green Square. The Wiri Licensing Trust as the developer and owner of the whole precinct has a clear interest in making sure that people are always safe and property is secure.

Much of the parking provided at Green Square will be underground and accessible on a managed basis. The development will have comprehensive video surveillance and onsite monitoring and supervision during evenings and nights.

Marketing for the first stage of Green Square has just commenced and expressions of interest are being sought from business interested in professional quality office space and entertainment type retail space. Stage 1 is a 4000m2 three level building with underground as well as kerb-side parking. The upper floors will have balconies facing east and north and the ground floor will have generous verandas for shelter and shade. Spaces are available from 100m2 to 1000m2 and tenancies are offered for six years or more.

The Wiri Licensing Trust is conscious of the need to achieve an appropriate tenant mix and is keen to work with potential anchor tenants to achieve a mix which suits them.

The building’s Green Star qualities will be achieved through the use of passive heating and ventilation backed up by energy efficient mechanical systems.

“Building operating costs and energy costs in particular will become a source of major concern for tenants as our energy supplies become stretched.” “This makes the whole environmentally friendly approach the common sense approach for developers, investors and tenants”, he claims.

Building of Stage 1 is due to commence in late 2008 and will be completed and open for business by Christmas 2009. Following this Stage 2, a larger six level 10,000m2 building, will commence in mid 2010 for completion by mid 2011.

The future will most likely be green – green for consumers, green for business and green for government. Green Square Manukau offers an opportunity for businesses in Manukau City to be at the leading edge of this change.

[jarbury]

Flat Bush masterplan for public vetting
4:00AM Thursday Oct 30, 2008
By Anne Gibson

Details of a $1 billion vision for South Auckland will be unveiled next month but its developer is not expecting construction to start until at least 2010.

Nigel McKenna, head of Melview Developments, said yesterday that details of the planned Flat Bush town centre would go to the public next month but builders would not start on the project for at least two more years.

Mr McKenna said the draft master plan would be available to the public from Thursday, November 13.

He plans to develop an entire new town centre in the area, building a master-planned community where people will work, shop and live.

The Beaumont Quarter apartment complex opposite Victoria Park markets and the Lighter Quay apartments on Auckland's waterfront are some of his most high-profile developments in the city.

A public meeting to discuss the Flat Bush centre is planned next month so people can see what is being proposed.

But Mr McKenna said changes to the global property and financial markets were having an effect. Flat Bush was a long-term vision, he said and plans would need to accommodate fluctuations in the property cycle.

Flat Bush will be developed by Mr McKenna's Melview but built on land owned by Manukau City Council's Tomorrow's Manukau Properties.

Late last year, the two parties signed a development deal and construction was earmarked for 2010.

Sir Barry Curtis, mayor at the time, said then that the project would bring a new yet traditional-style town centre with an emphasis on public transport to reduce dependence on cars.

Manukau City bought the land for Flat Bush in 1996.

Mike Higgins, chief executive of Tomorrow's Manukau Properties, said yesterday that the plan to be presented next month was more of a map than a final design. It was only the first step of a complex master-planning process.

But next month's meeting aimed to give people an idea about the project and an understanding of how different the new town centre would be, he said.

Flat Bush has been in the pipeline for the past eight years, during which planning, earthworks and road construction have been done.

But some people who moved to areas surrounding the now-vacant town centre have been asking for months when work will start on their new 20ha hub, which will blend Barry Curtis Park with shops, cafes, offices, community areas and apartments.

Mr Higgins said there was still a significant amount of work to do but his company was pleased with the progress so far.

* Flat Bush public plan meeting, 7.30pm, November 13, conference room, Rainbow's End Theme Park, corner Great South and Wiri Station Rds, Manukau.

THE PROJECT
* $1 billion new town centre.
* To be built on 20ha vacant block.
* To house up to 40,000 people.
* Houses, offices and shops planned.
* Houses to be low- and high-density.
* Expected to be finished by 2020.

[Sukkiri]

Good news for Manukau, that is probably the one city centre in Auckland that has literally no pedestrians. Go there on a Saturday around the city council buildings, its dead.

[Svartmetall]

Bad report in the local rag today - the number of submissions for resource consents has fallen dramatically in Manukau. I can't be bothered typing it up, but statistically there has been a 35% drop and staff numbers at Manukau CC are to be reviewed.

[jarbury]

Eeek. Not good for my future job prospects, not that I wanted to work at Manukau though.

[Nicco]

Don't you worry Jarbury! Brian Tamaki may just give you a planning job for his new holy city in South Auckland

[jarbury]

Yeah I heard about that one. What a crack up.

[jarbury]

Recession woes slow plan for big city centre
4:00AM Monday Jan 12, 2009
By Vaimoana Tapaleao

Flat Bush is going ahead, the council says, but some facilities are on hold.

Manukau City Council planners have been developing a blueprint for Flat Bush since 1997. Turning the 10,000-population town into a thriving centre populated by 40,000 people by 2020 is one of New Zealand's most ambitious planning projects.

Eight other big multi-million dollar Auckland City developments have stalled, including the $250 million Soho Sq project in Ponsonby and the $600 million Rhubarb Lane development in central Auckland.

The Flat Bush plan is far larger in scale - but those behind the plan are hoping its long-term nature means it can ride out the current bumps caused by the troubled economy.

The town - billed by Manukau City Council as "the country's largest and most comprehensively planned" - is expected to compare in size with Nelson by 2020.

But planners have been forced to delay some of the town centre's main facilities, including a swimming pool, recreation centre and a library.

And they are reviewing the master plan to see what they can still afford in the ailing economic climate.

The developers behind $1 billion worth of new housing said yesterday plans were still on track.

But they face a riskier development if planned amenities to attract a new population are put on hold.

Manukau City Council Mayor Len Brown said the new facilities - on which construction was to have started next year - would be put back for at least three years.

"At the moment, we are deferring that development in the 10-year plan on the basis of the downturn in property and residential markets," Mr Brown said.

"That's not just good financial planning, but it's also recognising that people are finding it difficult at this time. So we've really got to cut our costs."

The Flat Bush plan features a large housing development, town centre and seven new schools on 1700ha of undeveloped land.

It is led by three main investors - the council, developer Melview Developments and the steering group for the project, Tomorrow's Manukau.

Manukau City Council, which bought 20ha of land to be used for the town centre, says it must delay its plans for a $3.2 million library, a $10 million swimming pool and recreation centre because of the recession.

The Manukau City Council's policy and activities committee chairwoman, Colleen Brown, said the project - featured in the council's 10-year community plan to be released in February - would have to be reviewed and revised.

"With the economic situation, you're always going to have things that will be dropped," she said.

"Flat Bush is a big project - with the town centre, arts centre and parks it's a major project and that's going to be an area of discussion for the council.

"We have to be very careful with how we spend money now."

Tomorrow's Manukau Properties chief executive Mike Higgins said a reassessment of the project and the current economic crisis would be made in March.

"In the scheme of things, you wouldn't want to build during a bad time. So while we haven't formally made any moves, we'll be making an assessment around the quarter of this year to see if plans might have to slip back."

Melview spokesman Klaus Sorenson said Flat Bush was a "very, very long-term project and as in many long-term projects, it'll ride out shorter-term economic bumps.".

[KingKong1]

A good way to make the recession worse is to can projects.

Look at what the rest of the world is doing! spending up large on infrastructure and public projects while dumbass NZ does sweet FA and hides all the money in the piggy bank.

[Blah]

Exactly. God, you need to spend money to make the economy healthy! Isn't it funny how the govt is encouraging kiwis to keep spending, but yet the local govt here sticks it in a bank waiting for better days. Fools.

[jarbury]

I think the main point is that the area will be developing slower than anticipated, so there's not as much of a need to do everything as qucikly as was expected.

No real story there.... typical January filler. The same could be said for Stonefields, although the Ministry of Education is pressing ahead with its proposed Primary School there.

[Marky Mark]

Published 12 January 2009

Melview Developments Ltd managing director Nigel McKenna issued a statement today rejecting a newspaper story suggesting delays to the commercial element of the Flat Bush town centre because of the economic downturn.



An NZ Herald story said Manukau City Council had decided to delay a library, pool & recreation centre because of the recession, its planners were reviewing the masterplan and the development would become riskier without these elements to attract housebuyers.



Mr McKenna said Melview’s Flat Bush town centre project was on schedule: "We completed the initial draft concept plan public consultation in November last year and we are now going through the initial concept, finetuning things so we can proceed to complete the overall design by the end of this year as envisaged."



He said reports that the commercial development - unrelated to civic developments in the area - might be delayed by economic circumstances, were unfounded: “"It is important not to confuse the commercial development of the Flat Bush town centre with any budgetary or long-term planning issues which may be before the Manukau City Council.



"These are quite separate to the commercial development of the town centre, which will be carried out by Melview Developments.



"Comments about the 10-year plan for Manukau should not be interpreted as affecting the Flat Bush town centre for which Melview Developments has the commercial responsibility."

[cambennett]

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Ferguson plans whitewater course
4:00AM Sunday Apr 12, 2009
Nicola Shepheard

olympian kayaker Ian Ferguson is bringing whitewater rafting and kayaking to South Auckland in a world-first facility.

Four-times Olympic gold winner Ferguson, 56, will run the whitewater course - his brainchild - with his two sons, fellow Olympian kayaker Steven and Alan.

Expected to open in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, it will adjoin the TelstraClear Pacific events centre, roughly halfway between Auckland City and Auckland International Airport. About 1.7 million tourists drive past the location every year.

The world's first whitewater facility in an urban centre, it will comprise two horseshoe rivers fed by a pond at the base. One river will be professional grade and the other will be suitable for school groups and beginners.

The target markets are tourists, recreational users, professional athletes and corporate and school groups. Ferguson said it would allow students to learn river skills in a safe, controlled environment.

The facility will be environmentally friendly, with the pond refilled with rainwater run-off and cleaned using ultraviolet technology.



The course is the first stage of a $60 million project spearheaded by the Counties Manukau Pacific Trust, the non-profit body behind the successful event centre.

An art gallery, exhibition centre and cultural experience will be developed later.

Event centre CEO Richard Jeffery said the trust will raise one-third of the costs. It has asked the Manukau City Council to contribute the remainder.

Councillors have argued ratepayers can't afford the investment, but Jeffrey said the short-term cost would have long-term benefits and cost ratepayers 48c extra a week.

"Unlike a rugby stadium, this whitewater stadium will be used on a daily basis, accessible to the community and will pay its own way," Jeffrey said.

Ferguson is putting up $1m of his own money.

[Nicco]

Town centre makeovers unite community

Manukau’s first mayoral makeover is under way. The community were out in force to support the launch of the initiative at the Dawson Rd shopping centre last Saturday.

Under mayor Len Brown’s mainstreet makeover initiative four town centres will be upgraded.

The first long-term programme of its type in the country, the seven-year plan aims to instill "pride in place" by improving the presentation of town centres in a cost-effective way.

Under the plan Dawson Rd, Mangere, Manurewa and Old Papatoetoe – all part of Manukau City Council’s business improvement district programme – will be cleaned up and painted in year one and then maintained and kept free of graffiti for seven years.

The initiative is supported by the commercial sector, the council’s town centres and business precincts team, and the Manukau Beautification Trust.

About 250 church members, schoolchildren and residents turned out to help with the launch at Dawson Rd in Otara. They collected rubbish, landscaped and washed everything down.

Within three hours the area was ready for painting and a much-needed makeover.

Mr Brown says the initiative will be "brilliant for the community".

"It’s a step-up for our town centres and a chance for our people and our businesses to take pride in their area.

"We want to make our centres better and safer and this is one way of achieving that. It’s about communities looking after themselves."

The closer partnership between the community, business, tenants and the council bodes well for a positive future for town centres, he says.

"Clean, tidy and proud is a key pathway to making that happen.

"But our aim is not only to improve the look and feel of the places but to ensure we leverage the improved look to invite more businesses, in particular coffee shops and restaurants.

"The consequence of a lifting of pride and more approval is economic benefit," Mr Brown says.

Funding for the initiative comes via a council-provided loan payable in seven years through a targeted rate.

The repayment period coincides with the time repainting has to be done and spreads the cost for businesses. That makes it affordable because the firms don’t have to pay up front and they get bulk prices for the job.

It also means the whole centre can be repainted at once. Repainting at Dawson Rd is scheduled to take place in two weeks.

The makeovers at Mangere, Manurewa and Old Papatoetoe are expected to start later this year or early next year.

Hmm

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

One of the country's biggest crane lifts was carried out last month when sections of the duplicate Mangere Bridge were eased into place.

The 650-metre-long structure is the largest bridge being built in New Zealand and significant progress was made in the lead-up to Christmas.

In addition to a 245-tonne crane lift at the northern end of the bridge, the first completed sections of bridge deck were being joined. Thirty cubic metres of concrete have been pumped 20 metres skyward to create the connection.

Once 200 metres of deck is joined, bridge workers were to start installing barriers for new motorway
lanes.

New Zealand Transport Agency regional director Wayne McDonald says the bridge is a key section of the planned western ring route, providing an alternative to State Highway 1.

"It's looking increasingly likely that the bridge will be completed ahead of its original completion date in early 2011."

The bridge is 70 percent complete.

Once finished it will carry four lanes of southbound traffic, including one lane for local traffic between Mangere and Onehunga.

[Mr_kiwi_fruit]

By ROMY UDANGA - Manukau Courier

Manukau transport portfolio leader David Collings and transportation planning manager Steve Dudley say the new Manukau Station Rd, being built where they stand, is critical to developments in central Manukau.


A new road is being built to service commuters expected to flock to Manukau city's new transport interchange, business hub and education centre.

Manukau Station Rd is being built next to the Manukau Station site where several major infrastructure projects are in different stages of development.

They include the Manukau Station, rail link and bus interchange, stage one of Manukau Institute of Technology's planned three-hectare tertiary campus and the SH20-SH1 Manukau Extension.

The new station, rail link and bus interchange are scheduled to open in the first half of 2011, MIT's campus is expected to be ready for students at the start of the 2012 academic year and the motorway extension is scheduled to open in three stages with the final stage open in August next year.

Manukau City Council also recently announced plans for a 600-space carpark building and hotel-commercial development on the corner of Davies and Ronwood avenues.

Manukau transport portfolio leader David Collings says the new road will play a critical role to the movement of people in the city centre.

"It will make it easier for people to move around by providing access to MIT, commercial establishments, the rail station and bus interchange.

"It will be good for the 600,000 or so passengers who will use the rail station and about 1.2 million people who are expected to transit at the bus station yearly," Mr Collings says.

The new four-lane road is being built as an extension of Wiri Station Rd.

It creates a new intersection with Davies Ave and extends all the way to Lambie Drive, providing access to and from the new motorway via on and off ramps on Lambie Drive.

Once complete the section of Wiri Station Rd from Great South Rd - across Davies Ave and past Manukau Station - to Lambie Drive will be renamed Manukau Station Rd.

The section of Wiri Station Rd from the intersection of Davies Ave and Manukau Station Rd to Roscommon Rd will retain its name and street numbers.

The new intersection of Davies Ave, Wiri Station Rd and Manukau Station Rd will have traffic signals and the section of the road outside the police station will also be realigned.

Manukau Station Rd is being built by New Zealand Transport Agency as part of the $210 million SH20-SH1 Manukau Extension project.

It will provide access to Manukau Station and MIT campus via a bridge that will be built over the rail line.

There is also a proposal to extend Putney Way across Davies Ave into a cul-de-sac to provide access to the new MIT campus and Hayman Park.

[jarbury]

I'm still wondering who will use the Manukau train station. Not many people live around it, as the area is largely carpark and shopping centre, while there's no southern link which means people from Manurewa won't be able to catch a train there to go shopping.

I don't think it will be as popular as people think. Although, more positively, I think Onehunga station will be much more popular than anticipated.

[drosophila]

Originally Posted by jarbury

I'm still wondering who will use the Manukau train station. Not many people live around it, as the area is largely carpark and shopping centre, while there's no southern link which means people from Manurewa won't be able to catch a train there to go shopping.

I don't think it will be as popular as people think. Although, more positively, I think Onehunga station will be much more popular than anticipated.

Perhaps not initially but as the MIT campus develops it should become more popular. I know a lot of people who commute from the CBD out to the current MIT campus in Otara and do so mainly because the bus connection takes a ridiculous length of time. Many of them would happily catch the train to get to work and I am sure the same applies to students. The lack of a Southern connection is a shame, but the motorway has been built to allow it so it just requires the tracks being laid.

[jarbury]

Oh I'm sure someone will use it. Just I don't think it'll get anywhere near the "on a par with Newmarket" level of patronage that some are expecting.

[drosophila]

Originally Posted by jarbury

Oh I'm sure someone will use it. Just I don't think it'll get anywhere near the "on a par with Newmarket" level of patronage that some are expecting.

Agreed, its location for the next few years will discourage much use. It was Len Brown's penny pinching council that lead to it being in the park, I hope his attitude improves if he becomes the Auckland mayor.