MinutesoftheNewtownResidents’AssociationMeetingMonday17August2020viaZoomat7:35

Present:RhonaCarson(Chair),SteveCosgrove(Zoomhost,minutes),AnnaKembleWelch,MartinHanley,LiliTuioti,WarwickTaylor,Glen-MarieBurns,JamesFraser,IndiaKorner,GregNicholls,MarkJohnston,SamSomers,MichelleWolland,MarionLeighton,SeiniTalainaivalu,JanGould,GraemeCarroll,AdaireHannah,DonMcDonald,SteveDunn,JanePatterson,JamesCoyle,VanessaRushton,PeterFrater,CarolComber,DomShaheen(advisortoPaulEagle),CrIonaPannett(WCCUrbanDevelopmentportfolio),CrLaurieFoon,CrFleurFitzsimons.

Apologies:JaredCorston,PaulEagle.Rhonawelcomedeveryone,particularlyCouncillorsIonaPannett,FleurFitzsimonsandLaurieFoonNotices:NewtownResidents’AssociationAGMis21stSeptember-nextmeeting.MeettheCandidatesmeetingwillbemoving-datetobeconfirmed.[sincethemeeting,confirmedfor24thSeptember.]ThetopicofthismeetingistheWCCConsultationonPlanningforGrowthandtheDraftSpatialPlan.,andwhatitmeansforNewtown.IonaPannettintrducedthetopic-

• Councilplanstoaccommodate50000-80000morepeopleby2040.• DraftSpatialPlanisaresponse.

o Growth:Sustainable,resilient• Innersuburbsareparticularlyaffected,particularlyNewtownasitisatransportthoroughfare.• Ionadescribedthemapoftheinnercitysuburbs,showingtheproposaltodefinedifferentareas,with

differentdegreesofcharacterprotectionanddifferentpermittedbuildingheights.Rhonasharedacopyofit(reproducedattheendoftheseminutes).Thebiggestareaallowsdemolitionwithoutconsent,andbuildingsof6storeys.

• Itwasparticularlyinterestingthatbuildingbetween4to6storieswouldbecomenormalinmostofNewtowniftheproposalsareadoptedunchanged.

MartinHanleyandAnnaKembleWelchhavebeenlookingatanddiscussingtheplans,andonSaturdaywentforawalkaroundNewtownwithMayorAndyFoster,CrFleurFitzsimonsandCrLaurieFoon,andJamesCoyle,VanessaRushtonandSeanO’Brien.RhonaaskedAnnaandMartintooutlinetheirreactionstotheplans:

• TotallysupporttheconceptofgettingmorehousinginNewtown.TheNewtownResidents’AssociationhasahistoryofsupportingintensifiedgrowthalongAdelaideRdandRiddifordSt,andthiscouldbeextendedtoothersuitablesites.

• Howeverthereareseriousreservationsaboutthesecurrentpoposals,whichremoveprotectionsfrommostofNewtown.

• Whenbuildingsareappropriatetotheenvironmenttheycaneasilygoto4to6stories.RegentParkApartments(RegentStreet)wasusedasanexample,theNewtownParkFlatsinMansfieldStareanother.

• TheHausmannBuidingsinParisarewellregardedandsomeare6storeyblocks.Thesearesuccessfulbecausetheyformacoherentwhole,liningwideboulevards.Theydon’tshadetheirneighbours.

• Howeversixstoreybuildingsscatteredinthemiddleofoneandtwostoreyhomeswillshadetheneighbours.Thelossofsunfromabuildingisdevastatingfortheresidents.

• Martinrelatedexamplesofdevelopmentsfromthe1970s,whenhighriseblockswerebuiltamongexistinghomesinTeAroandhadaverynegativeeffectonthesurroundingcommunity.Therewasalso

aproposalforallowing4storeybuidingsinNewtownbackin2008,lessextensivethanthisone,whichmetsignificantoppositionanddidn’tproceed.

• Theplanneedstobemorespecificaboutheightsappropriatetospecificareas.Therewasgeneraldiscussionaboutarangeofissuesaroundtheplan.Thereweredismayedreactionsfromresidentsabouttheeffect6storeydevelopmentswouldhaveontheirhomes,andconcernforthosewhoareintheprocessofexpensiverenovations.Therewasuncertaintyaboutwhethertheheightlimitwouldbe‘atleast6storeys’intheareafortype4developmentor‘upto6storeys.’Bothwordingsareusedatdifferenttimes.Thisneedsclarification.Therewasaquestionaboutwhethertheproposeddevelopmentswouldresultinaffordablehomes.WarwicksuggestedthatWCCcouldbuildmorehomes.TherewerepostiveresponsesfromtheCouncillors;partnershipswiththeGovernmenthavebeendiscussed.TheapartmentbuidingatMaryPotterHospicewasmentioned.ThisisoutofkeepingwiththecharacteroftheareabutwaspermittedbecausethesitewasdesignatedaSpecialHousingArea,soitwasn’tsubjecttotheordinaryplanningrules.Theprotestsfromtheneighboursledtosomemodifications,egsteppingback,butitisstilllikelytoaffecttheneighbourswithincreasedshading.

MarkJohnstonaskedabouttheplansfortransportthatgoinlinewiththisplan.Morepeoplebutnoimprovementsintransportcouldcausechaos.CrIonacommentedthatmasstransitandcyclelanesarebeingplanned.

AnnashowedscreenshotstakenfromtheWCCvideo“PlanningforGrowth–InnerSuburbs”,oneshowingsketchesoftallbuidingspoppingupamongNewtownhouses,andanotherwithsolarpanelsaddedtosomeexistinglowrisebuildings.Therewerescepticalcommentsaboutthelatter–that6storeybuidingswouldstopthesungettingtopanelsonbuildingslikethese.Thesescreenshotsarecopiedattheendoftheseminutes,andthevidoescanbeseenhere-https://planningforgrowth.wellington.govt.nz/resources1/video-libraryItwassuggestedthatinsteadofablanketpermissionforthesedevelopmentsacrossmostofNewtowntheirintroductioncouldbephased.Themainstreets–egAdelaideRdandRiddifordSt–couldbedevelopedfirst.Thiscouldturnouttoprovideenoughhousingtomeettheneed.Itwouldalsobeeasiertomakethenecessaryimprovementstoinfrastructureifthedevelopmentareawasmorerestricted.CrFleurcounteredthis,sayingthathavingarestrictedrangeofmainstreetpropertiesavailablefordevelopmentwouldmeanthatthesebecameveryexpensiveandtheresultinghomeswouldcosttoomuch.Therewerequestionsaboutwhatprovisionstherewouldbetoprotectexistinghouses,egsteppingback,consideringsunandshading.TheanswerfromCrIonawasthatthesewouldneedtobeconsideredwhentheDistrictPlanRulesandDesignGuidesareworkedonaftertheSpatialPlanhasbeenagreed.Designcontrolswouldlookatthingslikebulk,sitecoverage,whetheritfittedwiththeneighbourhood,accesstosunlightetc.Martinnotedthatpersonnelchange,andthosewhoimplementtheDistrictPlanlaterarenotthosewhodesigntheSpatialPlantoday.MartinalsocommentedthatthereisalotinthePlanningforGrowthdocumentsaboutgreenspaces,andaskedabouthowthesewouldbeprovidedinNewtown.OurmainneighbourhoodparkisCarraraPark,butwiththeseplansitcouldendupsurroundedby6storeydevelopmentsandcompletelyshaded.TheNationalPolicyStatementonUrbanDevelopmentcameoutrecently,andhasaddedtotheparametersaroundtheSpatialPlan.https://www.mfe.govt.nz/about-national-policy-statement-urban-development.TherewerequeriesaboutthesourcesofinformationthathaveprojectedsuchalargegrowthintheWellingtonpopulation–theanswerbeing“Statistics”.Itwassuggestedthatfuturetrendsmaynotmatchthesepre-covidexpectations.AresidentspokeofPonsonbyandGreyLynnasexamplesofgentrificationtobeavoided,asthoseareasbecamemoreaffluentandlosttheirpreviousdiversity.

IonasuggestedtherearealotoftoolsavailablefortheCounciltoprotectthediversityofanarea.Finalwords.Rhonasaidthatafterreturningtolevel1,butbeforethesubmissionperiodends,shewouldliketohaveaninpersonpublicmeetingaboutthis,wherewecoulddiscussandperhapsworkshopdifferentoptions.Martinencouragedeveryonetosubmit,includingpositivefeedbackonwaysthatmorehousingcanbesuppliedinNewtown.Ifwejustsaynotoeverything,wecouldwellbeignored.CrLauriethankedeveryoneforturningupandsharingthevalueswewanttoretaininNewtown.CrFleurthankedeveryonetoo.Shereflectedonthepositionofrenters,whomightnothaveastrongvoiceintheconversation.CrIonaalsothankedpeopleforcoming.Sheexpressedconfidencethatwecanfindasolutionthatsuitseveryone.Meetingfinishedat9:05.Therewasaregularstreamofwrittencomments,questionsandanswerson‘chat’aswellastheverbaldiscussion.Herearesomeextractsthatwerewrittenanddidn’tgetdiscussed:

19:48:24 FromJanGould:Myconcernisthatitisstillabithaphazard-inthatwhenadevelopmentisalreadydecidedon,wecanstillgetsomethingthatlookslikeeastBerlin.

19:50:47 FromMichelleW:therewasawaterissuewiththelandatRegentPark-hugedrainage20:06:23 Fromvanessarushton:IreadtheproposedchangesasturningNewtownintoacity.What

planningcanweexpectfromCounciltoensurethatNewtownCityisdesignedtoahighqualitythatit’sresidentsin50yearswillbeproudof?We’venoticedthatsomedevelopmentsareprettylowqualityinrecentyears.

20:06:50 FromCrIonaPannett:FairquestionVanessa,thedesignguideswillneedtobeverystrong.20:07:28 Fromvanessarushton:Whatinputcanresidentshaveintodesignguides?20:08:09 FromCrIonaPannett:ThesedesignguideswillbepartoftheDistrictPlanconsultation.Atthe

momentweneedtodeveloptheSpatialPlan,thentheDistrictPlan.Keentoengagewithresidentsondesignguides.

20:08:36 Fromlauriefoon:Vanessa-Ihaveaskedwhatwecaninfluence-Therehasn’tbeenaresponseyet.I’llaskagain.

20:08:48 FromSamSomers:WhatprovisionwillbeputinforpeoplelikeMelwhoareonMobility

Scooters,alongwithcycleandwalking20:09:30 FromCrIonaPannett:Accessibletransportisapriority.20:10:08 FromMichelleW:whyrestricttooursuburbsifthatisthecase?20:12:23 FromCrIonaPannett:Developmentisplannedformostpartsofthecity,itispossibleto

developmorehousingandkeepcharacterasIhavesaid,bigbuildingsdoneedtobesitedappropriately.

20:12:45 FromWarwickTaylor:Quiteright,Iona.20:13:21 FromSteveCosgrove:Anotherquestionisaroundtechnologyusedtojustifyabuilding.We

havesunlightprojectionsfortheflatsovertheroadfromus.Projectionssaywewon'tlosesun,winterphotosshowwedolosesome.(Notalot,butthepointisthere.)

20:14:36 FromMichelleW:confused..isn'tthisplanaphasingscenario….thereforeshoulditbe

applicabletoallsuburbs?20:15:36 FromCrIonaPannett:Yesaphasedapproachwillapplytoallburbs,weneedtofigureout

how,tellushow!20:15:38 FromJamesFraser:Ifwedon’thavephasingdeveloperswillbuildinDaniellStinsteadof

AdelaideRdbecausethelandwillbecheaper

20:20:51 FromSteveCosgrove:HowdoesdevelopmentofAdelaideRoadleaveroomforlightrail?20:21:17 FromWarwickTaylor:Putthelightrailuptheroad:)20:21:23 FromCrIonaPannett:Therewillbeenoughroom,housingbelongsnexttomasstransit20:21:57 FromSteveCosgrove:Yes-definitelyagreewiththeprinciple@iona:-)20:24:43 FromWarwickTaylor:Howcanwedefinewhereweputwhatifwedon'tplanwherethemass

transitwillgo?20:28:51 FromCrIonaPannett:ThanksforyourquestionJames,Ithinkthereisabitofanissueof

allowingalotoflandtobezonedasitgivesthe'market'quitealotofcontrol.Housingshouldn'tbeaboutprofitasaprimarydriver.

20:29:49 FromWarwickTaylor:MaybeweneedpublicparticipationinplanningNewtownratherthanconsultationonaDistrictPlan.

20:29:56 FromJanGould:TherewasnothingatallaboutdesignconceptsinthedraftSpatialPlan.20:30:47 FromCrIonaPannett:ThedesignconceptswillcomethroughintheDistrictPlan.20:31:31 Fromvanessarushton:Howareyouworkingwithmanawhenuaonthisspatialplanning?20:32:15 FromSteveCosgrove:GoodquestionVanessa!20:32:54 FromCrIonaPannett:GoodquestionVanessa,someconsultationgoingonatthemoment,we

havealottodotorecognizetheheritageofmanawhenuaandtoensurethereismorespaceformanawhenuatoplanfortheirfuture.

20:35:04 Fromvanessarushton:AreyoureferringtoTeArawhitiMāori-CrownRelationsEngagementwithMāoriframework?I’dsaythiswouldhavealargeimpactonmanawhenuasowouldrequireamuchhigherlevelofengagementthanconsultation(i.e.co-design,partnership,empower).

20:33:22 FromCrIonaPannett:GoodpointaboutCarraraParkMartin20:33:27 FromMichelleW:WellsaidMartin..especiallywhenweseehousinggoingupnow-edgeto

edgeandnovegetationandbeautifuloldtreesbeingremoved20:33:46 FromJamesFraser:IwouldliketoseeType4densityareasmarkedonthemapturneddown

toType2or3otherwisewewillcankissgoodbyetothecharacterofNewtownthatweknowandlovex

20:34:20 FromJan.Gould:HowaboutWCChelpresource3DmockupofproposalsputforwardbyAnnaandMartinwhofromourperspectivebringtremendousexperienceandprofessionalinputforNewtown.

20:35:06 FromAnnaKembleWelch:Makinglandcheaperdoesn'tmeanthehousingwillbecheaper-themarketisprofitdriven.

20:35:39 FromCrIonaPannett:YessomelandinNewtownwillbeexpensiveasitisdesirabletolivehere.

20:36:49 FromAnnaKembleWelch:IwouldreallysupportWCCprovidingsupportandresourcesfor

peoplewantingtoengageinco-housingprojects20:37:44 FromCrIonaPannett:Yes,thatwouldbegoodbutwealsohavetosupportallpeople

whateverkindofhousingthattheywant.Itisatrickybalance.20:38:30 FromSamSomers:Theotherpartofintensificationisifpeoplemoveinwithoutcars,there

willbemoredeliveryservicevehiclesgoingtothesuburb20:38:34 FromMichelleW:wouldlovetoseeMartinandAnna'splans20:39:42 FromJan.Gould:AbsolutelycorrectMartin,ourconcernsneedtobeonrecordrightfromthe

start.20:40:02 FromCrIonaPannett:YesI'msureAnnaandMartincouldcirculatetheirplan,helpfultohave

someexpertinputhere.20:40:51 FromMichelleW:arethehousescurrentlylistedasheritagebuildingswilltheystillbe

protected20:43:48 FromCrIonaPannett:Formallylistedheritagebuildingsarelikelytostay,somemorebe

addedbutthatwillbeconsultedon.Thesignificanceofthisplanthoughisthatalotofpre

1930characterprotectionisbeingremoved.Itwillbeuptoyoutodecideifwehavethebalanceright.

20:44:35 FromJamesFraser:ThanksIona.Howwillwedecide?20:45:38 FromCrIonaPannett:Idon'tthinkheritageisaluxury,Weneedtohonourallpartsofour

historywhilstallowingfortheheritageofthefuture.20:49:03 FromMarionLeighton:arethecouncilconsideringbuildingmorecouncilflats?andweneed

moreKaingaorahousing20:51:24 FromJamesCoyle:@marionthereishugepotentialforlargerbuildingsbetweenDanielland

Owenclosetothezoo,whichismostlycouncilowned..20:51:41 FromFleurFitzsimons:YesMarion,infacttherewasadiscussionatthelastResidents

AssociationaboutKaingaOrabuildingnewhousesinCoromandelStreet20:52:32 FromMarionLeighton:yes,butthosearequitesmallfryandalreadycausingnimbyism.need

togetovertheparkingissue20:52:52 FromMichelleW:howdowekeepthecityopentovisitors?andensuringservicesarenot

overloaded?20:52:57 FromFleurFitzsimons:agreethatweneedfarmoreMarion!20:53:23 FromCrIonaPannett:Lessparkingmeansmorehousing!20:53:46 FromMichelleW:don'tforgetouressentialworkers20:53:53 FromMarionLeighton:yes,buildhousesinparkingspaces....20:52:06 FromSteveCosgrove:RoyStislimitedto3stories-persumablytoprotectNewtownParkand

theZoo?20:54:30 FromCrIonaPannett:RoyStreethasquiteintactcharactersoisbeingprotected.Minimum

carparkingstandardsarebeinggotridofwhichwillallowformorehousinginmulti-storeybuildings.

Thisisthelegendthatgoeswiththecolourcodedmapofplanneddevelopmentonthenextpage.

Purplemarkstheareaproposedfor6storeydevelopments.

ThePlanningforGrowthvisionoffuturedevelopmentinNewtown-screenshotstakenfromtheWCCvideo“PlanningforGrowth–InnerSuburbs”.Thevideoscanbeseenhere-https://planningforgrowth.wellington.govt.nz/resources1/video-library