Stephen Berry Spouts Nonsensical Views About Arch Hill Residents!

Residents of Arch Hill used in underhand manoeuvre as political vehicle to further the profile of Affordable Auckland Waitemata and Gulf candidate, Stephen Berry.

• Do we support the long term goals of the draft Unitary Plan? – check

• Do we support intensified housing? – check

• Do we support economic success and gainful employment of residents? - check

• Do we support the heritage of our neighbourhood and community? – check

Mr Berry – do your homework!! Your assessment of the situation and inflammatory statements are misguided. You make very strong accusations for someone who has not engaged with residents to understand what their concerns are.

If you had bothered to investigate you would know that :

• Interest is high in following the goal of the draft Unitary Plan, intensifying affordable housing, and capitalising on some of the best views on the Arch Hill/Grey Lynn ridgeline by way of an apartment dwelling, with small retail and hospitality venues at street level.

• But wait…. Isn’t supporting intensified housing and employment what Affordable Auckland is all about??? THIS is precisely the intent of a MUZone (mixed use), the very thing the community is fighting to maintain.

Big box developments such as the Bunning’s proposal are a significant backwards step in the development of the community and will inhibit future positive and appropriate improvements like intensified living along the ridgeline.

If this change goes ahead, in an area that already has a lower unemployment rate than the Auckland average, the small number of jobs that are created will be far outweighed by the number of gainfully employed residents who elect to move out of the area, taking their disposable incomes to reinvest in the new communities that they choose to resettle and build their futures in – Arch Hill does not benefit from this and has the potential to become an area to avoid living in, particularly if more developments of similar ilk are installed – so tell us how exactly is that economic success?

Arch Hill and Grey Lynn Residents Opposed to Bunnings Development

ENDS

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