Imagine driving along St Lukes Road and seeing 15-storey apartment buildings towering over you on both sides, sunlight blocked out and the charming bungalows gone forever. Picture the giant red apartments on Carrington Road, duplicated hundreds of times, marching across our city.
This is our probable future because, under PC 120, which enables 15-storey developments, these monsters will appear on every piece of land on a main road near a train station. Surely this is NOT the future we want for Auckland. If Aucklanders make just one submission in our lifetime, this should be the one. PC 120 will shape how our city looks, feels and functions for generations. I urge every citizen to make a submission opposing PC 120 before sunlight, charm and liveability are lost forever.
Our predecessors understood city planning deeply. They considered natural sunlight, sufficient height-to-boundary and the powerful link between environment and well being. How mental and emotional health correlates to physical health. How happy people are productive people.
I have attended public meetings and left genuinely shocked. Councillor B explained “by law,” council must enable an additional 2m dwellings (an extraordinary figure). During one meeting, a resident raised a practical concern: their street is already overflowing with residents’ cars, how will it cope with large-scale apartment blocks? Councillor B replied that the “law” is clear, under the RMA, council cannot enforce developers to provide parking. There was an uproar from the room. Like many others, I was stunned.
To see our elected representatives shrug off responsibility felt deeply disappointing. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and councillors are our last line of defence. If they don’t speak up and fight for our city, who will? Are they truly fulfilling their role in representing us?
I agree with Councillor Christine Fletcher, who said Auckland Council lacked the “leadership and determination” to push back against these laws and now we have a looming “crisis”. However, Christchurch councillors had the courage to push back and succeeded in preventing terrible city planning being forced upon their people. Laws are meant to protect people; if they are flawed, councillors should advocate for change.
Progress for the sake of progress is not good, especially when rushed. Aucklanders have been given just two months to respond, yet the consequences will last far beyond our lifetimes. They will shape the city our children inherit forever.
I urge all Aucklanders to make a submission by 19 December and rise up against PC 120. There is so much at stake: questionable walkable catchments, overstretched infrastructure – schools already at capacity, ageing water and wastewater systems, heritage and character protection, questionable flood plains, reduced permeable spaces, inadequate green spaces, slashed height-to-boundary rules, insufficient parking. Last, but definitely not least, wider impacts on our well being.
On 25 November, Councillor John Watson (Albany) posted simple, copy-and-paste submission guidance on Facebook. Use it.
Go to it, Auckland, make your voice count and us be heard!
Muy Chhour, Very Concerned Auckland Citizen
www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
facebook.com/john.watson.12382
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