MEDIA RELEASE

10 September 2003

Creating Glen Innes' future

A strategy to guide future growth for the Glen Innes area, which identifies the key issues and concerns of the community, was endorsed for release as a discussion document today by Auckland City’s City Development Committee.

‘Glen Innes into the future’ has been developed by Auckland City, largely as a result of extensive consultation and discussions with community and iwi groups, local businesses and residents.

The strategy document will be used as a guide for how the area might be developed in the future to better meet local needs and aspirations and achieve the vision of the Auckland Urban Living programme.

“Glen Innes is a community that has a unique spirit to it. It’s important that in the planning for the area we accurately reflect what its residents want to have it look and feel like - ten, twenty or fifty years into the future,” said Councillor Juliet Yates, City Development Committee chairperson.

“The community has identified priorities for what they want to see happen in their area, and this document has been developed directly from that feedback,” said Mrs Yates.

The document will be circulated to the local Tamaki Community Board and key interest groups for feedback, then released as a poster document in October for the public to provide comment, essentially looking for the community’s seal of approval for the future planning for the area.

Key priorities identified in the strategy as vital for the future of Glen Innes include:
- a safe, attractive and vibrant town centre
- improved local employment opportunities
- a variety of housing types to meet the needs of a diverse and growing community
- improved public transport facilities and services
- improved safety for pedestrians and traffic
- a strong community identity and improved public safety.

Many enhancements mentioned in the report have already been started, including a major redevelopment of the town centre and upgrade of Mayfair Plaza, and a new rail station.

Glen Innes has been selected as an area that can accommodate urban growth due to its location, having a well-established community and town centre, the availability of some vacant or undeveloped land and the ability to upgrade existing infrastructure. As the population of Glen Innes grows and diversifies, the council has identified a need to provide housing types to cater for different accommodation requirements.

“A higher density of housing can be developed in Glen Innes within walking distance of the town centre, an example of the kind of development we expect to see as part of the council’s growth strategy,” said Mrs Yates.

A new residential 8 zone was approved specifically for Talbot Park last month, which allows an intensification of urban dwellings yet outlines strict criteria for urban design to protect the neighbourhood character, visual and sound privacy and open spaces. Housing New Zealand’s redevelopment of Talbot Park is its biggest project in the country, and regarded as a blueprint for urban and community renewal.

“ ‘Glen Innes into the future’ is a milestone for a community leading the way for determining its own future,” said Mrs Yates.

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