Thursday, July 16, 2009

Resource Consent Application

The developers have finally applied for a resource consent application to develop the Clark Pottery site. It was notified in the NZ Herald Public Notices section today and it is availible to view on the Waitakere City Council's website. They have revamped the proposal but it still will have a negative impact on the site's heritage features and will not have the same benefits that our proposal has. We will be making submissions on the application and would encourage you to do the same.

Here is the link to the application: http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/CnlSer/pl/landuse/notified-submissions/LUC-2009-98LimeburnersBay.asp

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Hobsonville Land Company Hearings

This week the Hearings are being held for the resource consent application made by the Hobsonville Land Company to develop the first stage of the former Hobsonville Air Base development according to their Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP). The hearings are being conducted until Thursday and so far have been held at the Trusts Stadium, Waitakere City but we understand that later in the hearing the commissioners will conduct a tour of the site.

Included in the CDP plans is the triangle we propose to turn into a historic village. They are proposing to build twenty houses on this small piece of land. Earlier in the planning stages they were proposing to build fifty houses on the triangle.

It has been interesting to hear what the devlopers have to say in relation to their proposal and to hear some of the submitters have their say on this issue.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Council Meeting

On the 25th June we presented our proposal to a full Waitakere City Council Meeting at the Council Chambers. We were received very warmly and were very happy to hear the encouraging remarks made by the Councilors and the Mayor.

Later on in the meeting they discussed the triangular piece of council owned land that we propose to turn into a Historic Village. They made this resolution regarding the piece of land:

4. Agree that before any decision is made on the future use of the land, or before
the land is declared surplus, that the presentation made by Jonathan Edmeades
in the Public Forum before the commencement of the Council meeting, be taken
into account and appropriate consultation with the community be undertaken.
CARRIED

We have also presented our proposal to the committee of the Hobsonville/West Harbour Residents and Ratepayers Association and the West Harbour Rotary Club. We have been very warmly received at each of these meetings and have enjoyed having the oppurtunity to present our idea to some of the local population.






Saturday, April 12, 2008

Have You Seen These?

You may have found this blog via either the pamphlets we delivered around the area of the site or from the the sign we put up. Please take a moment to read our concept plan at the bottom of this post. We appreciate the time you have taken to look at this page. If you wish to contact us please use the email found on your pamphlet.








PROPOSAL FOR A HISTORIC PARK AT HOBSONVILLE

With the proposed re development of the former Hobsonville Airbase, it is apparently planned to create a substantial housing development with schools shops and other facilities. At the same time the Motorway will be constructed and this also creates other opportunities.

It seems the first activity in the area was fishing and the middens left by the Maori inhabitants bear witness to that. Europeans made forestry their first industry. That was followed by the pottery development which had a very wide and long impact locally. Interestingly it was built on the middens because the shell was burned to make lime for the potteries – hence Limeburners Bay.

Now is the opportunity to capture all of this as the new phase of development in this district occurs.

Why not form a Historic Reserve around three features? – The former Pottery site in Limeburners Bay, the Historic Church donated by R.O. Clark and Clark House.

The triangle of land between Clark Road and Scott Road, which ends at the Church, could be developed as an Historic Village incorporating a Village Green which could be the site of a 'Saturday Market'. Buildings for this village could include Ockleston House which may well need to be shifted and preserved with the building of the new Motorway Interchange. Some of the ' Workers Cottages' from Sinton Road and Clark Lane and other buildings in the area of historic importance could also join this cluster west of the existing church with it's significant historic cemetery.

The former Pottery Site needs to be preserved. At present some of the significant foundations are intact and these need to be preserved. A park setting would be ideal. The new subdivision will need passive recreation areas and this will meet two needs – historic and recreational.

We understand that the site now belongs to a Developer. The Council would need to consider diverting some of the locally generated Parks and Reserves dollars from the new subdivisions to purchase this special site or swop it for another suitable parcel of land.

Unitec Students could be invited to prepare a development plan in conjunction with the archaeologists, the West Auckland Historical Society, and surviving family members of the initial settlers.

Development could be progressive over the next few years after the style of Eden Gardens where retirees and any other interested individuals or groups give time to the project on a regular rostered basis.

The historic village could house a display of photos and memorabilia of the district but Clark House could, in due course, become a Pottery Museum and draw together all the threads of Waitakere History on this site and the New Lynn developments which flowed from it.

The Park could be run by three committees elected by an association that would be set up and could be called the Limeburners Bay Historical Society (LBHS). The reason for three separate committees would be to look after each part of the park - the three parts being: The Pottery Museum(Clark House), The Historic Village/Market Square and The Passive Recreation Reserve.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Massey Community Board Meeting

I was fortunate to be given the chance to speak to the local Community Board in their Public Forum at their meeting on Wednesday 30th January 2008.

I outlined the proposal you can read in detail on this site.

The chairman was most enthusiastic along with Councillor Chan and John Carrodus.

I thought the ideas were well recieved and I was encouraged by these responses.