This is the first private plan change to consider the impact of GHG emissions from a development
Simpson Grierson has confirmed its contribution to the watershed Beachlands South private plan change that was recently approved by independent hearing commissioners.
The change extends the coastal settlement in Beachlands South and adds significantly to the capacity, choice and variety of housing in Auckland. It is the first plan change under the Auckland Unitary Plan to facilitate development beyond the rural-urban boundary, Simpson Grierson said.
The firm added that this is the first private plan change to consider the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from a development after a legislative amendment. The Beachlands South Limited Partnership submitted the plan change application.
Simpson Grierson was on the project team and was involved throughout the design phase, as well as in the council-level hearing before the independent hearings panel. Planning and environment partner Bill Loutit took the lead as the firm backed the Beachlands South Limited Partnership, which consisted of the NZ Super Fund, Russell Property Group, Brett Russell, Rob Bassett and Ngāi Tai Hāpai.
“The fact that this is the first plan change approved outside the rural-urban boundary under Auckland’s Unitary Plan, shows how difficult this milestone is to achieve, and the very high quality of development that is required to be successful”, Loutit said. “While the Auckland Unitary Plan specifically provides for significant growth of coastal towns and villages, so far the Council has not supported this growth. Independent commissioners have sent a clear message that the Unitary Plan anticipates certain growth outside the rural-urban boundary, alongside infilling urban areas, in order to meet Auckland’s urban development goals and help meet housing demand”.
The Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and the Whitford Resident and Ratepayers Association appealed the decision of the independent commissioners to approve the plan change. However, consent documentation from the Environment Court confirmed that these appeals were settled.
“The proposal needed to demonstrate that it supported greenhouse gas emissions reductions in order to be granted”, explained Rachel Abraham, planning and environment senior associate at Simpson Grierson. “Interpreting what the legal tests meant for a private plan change was a new challenge, because it raised questions around construction processes, on-site carbon sequestration, energy efficiency of buildings, and the anticipated work and travel habits of future residents”.
The independent commissioners determined that the proposal needed to exceed a business-as-usual approach; it affirmed that greenhouse gas emissions reductions were integrated into the design and incorporated into the provisions.
A total of 36 expert witnesses attended the council hearing on the applicant’s behalf to provide evidence in relation to cultural effects, sustainability and post-Covid urbanism, economics, metals accumulation, ecological effects, ferry operations, infrastructure, coastal hazards and traffic effects. Overall, the applicant team included the Russell Property Group, Brett Russell, Rob Bassett, Ngāi Tai Hāpai, NZ Super Fund, Vijay Lala and Nick Roberts of Unio and Russell Bartlett KC.
