Happy New Year!
I hope that 2025 has begun well for everyone reading this edition of the Helensville Community News.
I’m one of those slightly strange people who takes the opportunity at the start of each year to reflect on how I can improve myself in the following 12 months.
In that same spirit of New Year’s resolutions, then, I’d like to take a moment to focus on what the northwest Auckland community needs in 2025 to be the best version of itself.
I am particularly hopeful of meaningful progress on three projects in particular, all of which are “in the pipeline” to a greater or lesser extent. (Obviously there are others too but these are the big fish to fry.)
The first is an additional secondary school in the northwest area, again respecting the excellent existing nearby schools but acknowledging that huge additional capacity is needed given population growth.
The second is SH16 works, which are underway at the Waimauku end and which are also needed at the Brigham Creek end. Self-explanatory really.
The third is an alternative route for SH16, often referred to as the Kumeu Bypass.
None of these will be completed overnight but the key will be to ensure that we don’t lose momentum on any of them.
In the case of the school, it’s past time that the Ministry of Education merely tells us that they are negotiating to purchase land.
As for the SH16 works, it will be for me to argue that high priority is needed for these works, particularly given that it will be some time until the entirely new road that is Kumeu Bypass gets completed. And on that note, last year saw the most tangible progress towards the Kumeu Bypass that we’ve seen in a long time, with the proposed route formally designated a “Road of National Significance” by the incoming government.
If I can add a proposed New Year’s Resolution for us all, it’d be to support great local businesses whenever possible. Many have found the past few years tough and if we look after them, as best we can afford, they will be with us for many more years yet.
Together, we can make 2025 a year of progress, opportunity and unity. Let’s embrace these resolutions for northwest Auckland and work together to make our region even better.
Chris Penk MP
