On behalf of its members, and together with other industrial areas across Auckland, the Mahunga
Drive Business Association is in the final stages of preparing its Submission.
This stage of the Unitary Plan process is now formal, requiring a Submission to be made under the
RMA planning procedures. There are several issues facing businesses based in industrial areas
that will be important to make submissions on:
Walmsley Road Residential Re-Zoning: A large section of previously 'light industry' zoned land north
of Walmsley Road has recently been rezoned Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings. This will
allow intensive residential development to take place on land adjoining light industry activities in
Mahunga Drive/Favona area – with no buffer. The proposal largely negates the previous provisions
of the Manukau Operative District Plan 2002 Ch. 16.15 Structure Plans Favona which addressed key
urban design issues:
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Traffic access
Development controls
Preservation/construction of buffer zones to preserve public amenity
And……
There are concerns that once this ‘non-industrial’ intensive residential activity establishes in this
zone, it will put pressure on genuine industrial businesses through traffic, parking and their
sensitivity to industrial noise, emissions and hazardous materials.
The question is whether light industrial zones should be preserved for genuine industrial activities –
or be provided with appropriate buffer areas?
The Association notes that this proposal and the Hastie Ave walkway will further exposes businesses
to potential crime and vandalism associated with being in such close proximity to residential zones.
The Mahunga Drive Business Association requests that this area revert to light industry zoning or at
least that appropriate conditions (including CPTED) be placed on any Terrace Housing or Apartment
Building development to ensure new residents appreciate they are close to industrial activities and
businesses are protected.
Electricity Transmission Corridors: The Unitary Plan establishes an Electricity Transmission Corridor –
which the Plan says is there to prevent risks to people and property, protect the transmission
network and preserve line access for maintenance.
But the Corridor also places a number of restrictions on business activities. Several properties on the
eastern-coastal side of Mahunga Drive area will face these restrictions.
There is a real question whether these restrictions are warranted across industrial areas. Compliance
with an existing NZECP Electricity Standard is still required and any sensitive activities (such as
schools or hospitals) are generally not allowed in industryzones anyway.
The Mahunga Drive Business Association submits that the Electricity Transmission Corridor is not
warranted across industrial areas and should be removed altogether from the Plan and the Planning
Maps in these areas.
Air quality: The Unitary Plan proposes restrictions on activities in heavy industrial areas - to improve
air quality.
A hybrid approach is being taken. This involves an assessment of a heavy industry zone and the
application of a combination of buffers extending into and out of the zone, depending on the
proximity of the zone to other areas containing sensitive activities (such as residential areas).
The buffer could be placed within and/or surrounding the heavy industry zone according to the
situation. The buffer may restrict activities up to 500 metres inside the zone.
This has the potential to restrict any future air emissions from businesses inside heavy industrial
zones. This will have significant impacts on several businesses in the James Fletcher Drive area.
The Mahunga Drive Business Association, however, is questioning whether the right balance has
been struck? There are very few heavy industrial areas left in Auckland – and allowing some air
emissions from these areas is important to their ongoing economic vitality. This is especially the case
when vehicle emissions and those from domestic fires largely continue unchecked.
The Ports of Auckland: On 9 August last year, the Mayor announced he was commissioning a study
to look at the long-term future of the Port in downtown Auckland. Once the study is finished, the
Council will decide what (if any) planning changes need to be made to expand or reduce the Port
zone. In the meantime, the Unitary Plan has made any future reclamation in the Port zone a noncomplying
activity.
The Mahunga Drive Business Association, along with other industrial areas, holds the view that the
current Port on the Waitemata is critical to commercial/industrial businesses. But there are a lot of
other groups wanting to restrict the Port’s activities. The Mahunga Drive Business
Association supports plans for modest expansion of the Port over time.
Activities (such as churches) in industrial zones: The Unitary Plan sets out what activities are allowed
in light and heavy industrial zones and what restrictions may be placed on them. One concern is that
heavy industrial zones, in particular, have come under pressure in recent years to accommodate
‘non-industrial’ activities, such as churches, schools and child-care centres.
This pressure will only increase as Auckland intensifies and land becomes more scarce. But once
these ‘non-industrial’ activities establish in these zones, they put pressure on genuine industrial
businesses through traffic, parking and their sensitivity to industrial noise, emissions and hazardous
materials.
The question is whether light and heavy industrial zones should be preserved for genuine industrial
activities?
The Mahunga Drive Business Association, along with other industrial areas, believe this is the
better approach and requests that activities such as churches, schools and child-care centers be
prohibited or restricted ‘non-industrial’ activities from these zones.
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