Plan Change 120 Submissions
Notes on making a submission on Plan Change 120
You can make a submission in writing by printing off the submission form. Or you can fill it out online. The online form wording is slightly different from the printed one.
If doing it online you have to write it in one go as it will not save.
I suggest you write your Reasons in a word document that you can work on and save, then attach it to the submission.
First fill in your details, name and address.
1. To the first question – ‘The specific provisions that my submissions relate to’,
Write - Devonport Special Character Area.
2. To the question ‘I seek the following decision by Council’ –
Tick the second box to - Approve the proposed plan change/variation with amendments as outlined below
3. ‘The Reasons for my views are as Outlined below’:
(Following are the sort of points you could make but it must be in your own style and wording)
4. Say how long you have lived there;
Why you enjoy where you live; if you and your neighbours have restored your properties; the community values you enjoy in Devonport.
You oppose the changes to the Devonport SCA which will have an effect on your property and on the environment that you live in.
If you live in a property that drops out of the SCA, you can write about your concerns of how it will affect you personally.
If you live next to a property that loses its SCA you should write of your concerns about what this means for you and your property as well as the greater Devonport area.
If you still live in the SCA you can write about your concerns for Devonport as a whole.
5. The intention of Plan Change 120 is to increase housing in Auckland.
Yet the changes proposed for the Devonport SCA will not create any more housing in Devonport as it will continue as a Single House Zone. This means the Devonport SCA will be badly affected for absolutely no reason.
Specific changes to SCAs are not required by the intent of the plan change.
6. You oppose that the plan change means 258 properties will drop out of the Devonport SCA.
You can write that Devonport is a coherent, clearly defined geographical area, bounded by the sea and by the Waitemata Golf course. It is seen as one harmonious area which is covered by the SCA.
For thirty years the area of old Devonport south of the golf course has been recognised as having special character. Dividing it up into separate sections and rating each house is against the aim of SCAs which is to view the area in its entirety.
Cutting out parts of streets and small groups of houses is wrong.
7. An example is part of King Edward Parade at the Church Street corner where the SCA is being removed from 32 Properties.
This is a highly historic waterfront street that developed in the earliest days of the borough.
I am concerned that if these properties lose their SCA, unsympathetic and unsightly houses will be developed which will detract from the historic area.
This would be wrong in such a special area that is so highly visited by tourists. Visitors arrive on the ferry, walk along the waterfront to the Navy Museum and North Head and picnic under the trees.
You can choose any area near where you live that is being deleted from the SCA and say why it should remain (eg. Oxford Terrace, Rata Road, Derby Street, Morrison Ave etc)
8. Some of the houses being dropped from the SCA do not have heritage value but their replacements could have a much greater adverse effect on the surrounding heritage area.
The fact that no resource consent will be required for the design means than any sort of modern house could be built which will not need to fit in to the surrounding SCA.
Having ultra-modern architecture dotted amongst Devonport’s old houses will be damaging to the Devonport SCA.
9. There is a strong economic factor in preserving Devonport’s special character areas.
Council encourages tourism to Devonport and visitors flock here.
There is a busy café and restaurant scene that has developed to cater to tourists. They walk around the streets, visit the shops and restaurants and two museums. Visitors come from wider Auckland, overseas and around New Zealand.
There is also a thriving renovation industry involved in the upkeep and restoration of the heritage villas and bungalows.
10. You may want to oppose the significant change to the SCA Business Devonport Town Centre where a large number of properties will drop out of the overlay.
This will mean unsympathetic developments could replace the present low-key buildings. All new buildings in this precious character area should not overwhelm the 21 historic places of Victoria Road.
This centre is the heart of Devonport, highly historic, and a valued tourist attraction.
Any changes allowing greater leeway for out of scale buildings on Victoria Road and its surroundings will impact the SCA and obscure views to Takarunga/Mt Victoria.
You should write you support the retention of the Height Sensitive Area as this will ensure the relationship between the town centre and the maunga continues.
Other possible points to make:
You could oppose the premise and justification for the plan change which is based on the aim to provide two million more dwellings for Auckland.
This is unnecessary as the city already has capacity for 900,000 more dwellings and at present about 20,000 new houses are built annually.
It is an unrealistic number that is not supported by any data or growth projections.
Despite this lack of valid reasoning, the two million figure is the reason such large-scale and widespread intensification zoning is being justified.
The present AUP figure of 900,000 should be adhered to as it is a realistic and attainable dwelling figure which should be the driver for intensification.
If you live in the area inside the brown line in the central Devonport you could write:
You oppose the zoning of Adjacent to centre policy 3 (d) for the area near the Devonport town centre.
This is an arbitrary line around residential areas near the town centre and seems to be a hangover from Plan Change 78. You can write that this is confusing and worrying for you as you do not understand the implications for your home.
If you are concerned for preserving the character and identity of Auckland you could also write that you support the retention of all Auckland’s Special Character Areas as they are a unique part of the city’s identity. (If so, be sure to add to the first ‘Scope of Submission’ the names of other Auckland SCAs - Mt Eden, Parnell, St Mary’s Bay, Remuera etc)
Devonport has links to them through materials, design and history.
……………….
Submissions close 19 December at 5pm
This is a chance to affect the outcome and retain Devonport as Special Character Area. It’s hugely important that many people make a submission. Talk to your friends and neighbours and help them make a submission. The more people who write submissions the better. It shows that Aucklanders care about their city.
Your voice matters and can make a difference!
How to use Plan Change Map Viewer
Google Plan Change 120 Map Viewer
Tick Agree and click OK
Write your address in box or
Go to left of screen where there are three icons
Click on second icon that looks like layers
Click on left to >
A Drop Down box will appear with many different zones and overlays that apply.
Click on Special Character Residential & Business that is halfway down list
The areas covered in a hatched blue are the SCA.
The areas in cream are those dropping our of the SCA to be Single House Zone.
You can also click on other zones like Coastal Erosion, Coastal Inundation, Height Sensitive Area.