Rodney District Council has approved the preparation of a change to its District Plan which will allow a mix of countryside living and business park areas to be developed alongside one another in Huapai South.
Kumeu and Huapai are expected to be one of the fastest growing parts of Rodney District. The towns currently have a population of 1,400, and the population is expected to reach 3,800 by 2021. The area is a key driver of economic growth in Rodney as Kumeu and Huapai together comprise the second largest business centre in Rodney, after Silverdale. The high level of growth expected in the future means that additional land will need to be made available for new homes and businesses.
The Council held a series of public open days in May to talk to Kumeu and Huapai residents about how their towns could develop in the future. Over 150 people attended the open days.
The Council consulted residents on 2 options for Huapai South. One option was to develop this area as business land only, and the other was to develop business and countryside living areas.
Feedback from the comments and open days indicated that residents were concerned about the potential for noise and visual effects associated with business activity in Huapai South.
As a result of this feedback, at a meeting last week the Council agreed to increase the amount of countryside living land in Huapai South and reduce the amount of business land. Strict design guidelines and rules will also be introduced to reduce the noise and visual impact of business activities in the business park areas.
Council staff will now begin work to prepare changes to District Plan rules to allow residential and business land to be developed in Huapai. Further consultation will also be undertaken with other statutory bodies, including the Auckland Regional Council and the Ministry for the Environment.
Local residents and developers will have the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to District Plan rules through a public consultation process. The timing of development in the town and any Plan Changes will be dependant on when public water and wastewater servicing is available.
A further issue that some submitters commented on was the need to preserve traditional industries in Kumeu and Huapai, such as viticulture and horticulture. The Council will be investigating the idea of setting aside an area in Kumeu or Huapai which could be used as a heritage park, where visitors could find out more about the history of the area.
Huapai South Urban Design Plan 