Two new members for Urban Design Panel

Auckland City Council has appointed two new members to the city’s Urban Design Panel to review major developments with the aim of improving the city’s urban environment.

The two new appointments are Professor Jennifer Dixon, School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, and David Mead, director of Hill, Young, Cooper Ltd.

Professor Dixon has extensive experience as an academic specialising in planning who is involved in research into sustainability and urban intensification.

She has published many academic papers examining planning practice in New Zealand. In addition, she has contributed to several books on planning and urban development.

Mr Mead has 20 years experience in the field of resource management policy and has been involved with the consultancy Hill, Young, Cooper since 1998.

He has co-authored the Ministry for the Environment guidelines on urban design, and has presented workshops throughout New Zealand on urban design.

The chairperson of the Planning and Regulatory Committee, Councillor Glenda Fryer, says she’s pleased two such highly respected individuals will be joining the panel.

“Professor Dixon and Mr Mead are professionals of the highest calibre and bring extensive experience of urban design principles and practice to the table.

“They will be valuable additions to the panel who make recommendations on plans for major developments in our city,” Ms Fryer says.

In addition, the Planning and Regulatory Committee has also approved changes to the schedule of criteria that developments must meet in order to be referred to the Urban Design Panel.

The new criteria include:

developments of 20 or more units

developments adjacent to, or within the surrounds of, a scheduled building

integrated housing developments or planned unit developments of 10 or more

council projects, including streetscape upgrades and community facilities

any significant new building or alteration in the business 3 zone

any significant new building or alteration in the residential 1, 2 or 3 zones

all new buildings or significant alterations in the CBD.

The committee also resolved to have a heritage architect on the panel to consider all applications concerning scheduled buildings or those in heritage overlay areas, centre plan areas, or residential 1, 2 or 3 zones.

Developments of less than 20 units will be reviewed by the council’s team of urban designers.

Ends

© Scoop Media