The Future Kumeu Concept Plan referred to in our April issue was formed by a committee of 6 members who worked together to provide an alternative design concept for the Notice of Requirements. The design was included and presented to the formal hearings for the district.
The council design for supporting growth - Rapid Transit Corridor plus walking and cycling has 6 key elements:
- The design follows the railway line in the flood plain.
- It proposes to remove all structure in Kumeu/Huapai south of the rail corridor.
- It removes about 30% of Kumeu/Huapai commercial and industrial buildings.
- Servicing old Kumeu and the proposed new Town Centre has been approved by the Local Board in the flood zone.
- It does not acknowledge future residential growth which is substantially south of S.H/Way 16/railway line.
- The alignment from the proposed Bypass to Kumeu is in the flood zone.
The Future Kumeu plan proposed New Kumeu should be located on easy NE slope land, centre of the growth area, which is located on S.H/Way 16 and is not subject to flooding. It is of a size to ultimately replace the existing Kumeu Centre and provide for a growth of 25,000 residents. It would contain a “Park and Ride” for the district and a destination for a “Rapid Transit Corridor” and would do away with the proposed Town Centre in Kumeu.
The Huapai zoning would remain unchanged and the commercial zone in Kumeu would stay in place until businesses decided to relocate. The industrial zone north and south of the rail line would stay in place although it could still flood.
Industrial land would be located along the Access/Tawa Road corridor close to the new Motorway intersection and the proposed “Rapid Transit Corridor”. It would be on flat land out of sight from residential areas, adjacent and linked to the new town centre, and approximately twice the size of the existing land in Kumeu.
Their suggested alignment of an Alternative Rapid Transit Corridor from Brigham Creek Road would follow the Bypass and would then run through the Future Urban are and the new Town Centre to S.H/Way 16. It would have “Park and Ride” in the commercial area and the industrial zone and would be located in greenfields and out of the flood zone.
There is no provision in the Council plan for open public space. The Future Plan acknowledges that the only public Reserve is north of the railway line in Huapai Domain, and the A&H Society land is not a public space. They believe there is a need for an “open space park” south of the railway line to serve the Future Urban Area and that the flat land between Station road/Trigg Road is suitable and close to the urban centre.
The Future Kumeu Concept Plan which is available on our website www.helensvillecomminitynews.co.nz
There will also be a need for a Secondary School which could be sited on the transport corridor and close to a park and urban area.
The Future Kumeu Concept Plan provides for planned growth of the district without the destruction of the commercial area of Kumeu/Huapai.
In our May issue we will cover the plan to make the road through a Kumeu a cycling and walking corridor and the formation of a Rapid Transit Cycleway around the township.
