Media Release
27 October 2012


The draft Hibiscus and Bays Area Plan is now open for feedback until 23 November 2012.

With the tagline “Hibiscus and Bays - celebrating the beaches, rural and natural landscapes, people and their way of life”, the second of Auckland Council’s 21 area plans was this week released for public consultation at East Coast Bays Library.

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Chair Julia Parfitt says the draft area plan builds on what residents and business people have said about their community through the development of other council plans, including the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan - produced last year -and the Auckland Plan adopted earlier this year.

“There are many opportunities for more employment and economic development in our special part of Auckland,” she says. “There are also challenges in providing the additional housing with the necessary supporting infrastructure, while maintaining the high-quality lifestyle that residents currently enjoy. The natural, rural and coastal environment is the area’s main feature that needs to be protected and enhanced.

“We’ve played a key role in Auckland’s future and this has been recognised in our priority status as one of the first two local boards to prepare their plan. We’ve been given the opportunity to consider all of the issues and trim back growth in certain areas and reduce height levels in our area to no more than four levels.”

The best way to check out and provide feedback on the draft plan is online – www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/areaplans - but people can read hard copies and get feedback forms at local libraries and the local board office in Browns Bay.

This area plan shows in maps and describes in words where housing, jobs, transport links, recreation and community facilities and visitor attractions could occur over the next 30 years.

The area plan addresses these challenges and identifies six opportunities (key moves) to transform Hibiscus and Bays into an area where people will want to continue to live, work and play, as well as attract visitors.

1. establish the North West Wildlink (a continuous green network between the island of Tiritiri Matangi to the Waitakere Ranges)
2. grow the green economy and eco-tourism potential of Hibiscus and Bays
3. build a coastal pathway to connect Hibiscus and Bays’ communities (Te Araroa)
4. focus growth in centres, and in areas with access to efficient public transport
5. improve transport connections by extending the Northern Busway, implementing Penlink and promoting potential new water based transport
6. develop quality employment-zoned land in and around Silverdale to increase employment opportunities for local people.

The Auckland Plan has set a direction to make Auckland the world’s most liveable city over the next 30 years.

Julia Parfitt says the draft Hibiscus and Bays Area Plan provides a vision and plan for how this could happen in the coastal north-eastern part of Auckland.

“I stress once again that this plan is draft only at this stage.

“Now is your chance to give us feedback on the vision to retain Hibiscus and Bays’ place as one of Auckland’s most cherished locations.”

The upcoming dates and venues for the engagement sessions are:
Day Date Time Activity Location Address
Sunday 28/10/12 10am – 2pm Open House / Roadshow Gulf Harbour Market Gulf Harbour Town Centre, Harbour Village Drive
Tuesday 30/10/12 11am – 3pm Open House / Roadshow Orewa Library 12 Moana Avenue
Thursday 1/11/12 10am – 2pm Open House / Roadshow Browns Bay Council Service Centre 2 Glen Road
Friday 2/11/12 11am – 3pm Open House / Roadshow Whangaparaoa Library 9 Main Street
Sunday 4/11/12 9am – 12pm Open House / Roadshow Browns Bay Markets Anzac Road car park

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