New Lynn Development Cleared To Go

 

The big development planned opposite the New Lynn transport hub, including a 3-storey parking building, has been given the all-clear by the Environment Court.
Auckland Council has been given the go-ahead to acquire private land in order to continue to progress the project that began with the underground train station and soon-to-be opened Totara Avenue shared space and Clark Street extension.
The project called Merchant Quarter developed by the old Waitakere Council, involves more than 7,000 m2 of commercial floor space, and facilities for the community including a two level medical centre plus covered public parking.

An artists impression of Merchant Quarter

 

The venture plans to develop the area as a vibrant destination place typified by exceptional public spaces and streets and high quality architecture.
Development will see the public at-grade car park resupplied as part of a podium building with retail at ground floor, three storeys of car parking above (260 spaces) and a residential apartment block on top(possibly up to 8-10 storeys).
The old bus station site will accommodate a mixed-use pavillion building of at least three storeys. The remainder of the car park land and council’s other landholdings including some Totara Avenue frontage will be developed as relatively fine grained three to four storey buildings with predominately retail uses at ground floor and resdiential and commercial above.
New Lynn Library, already at capacity, may be expanded through an extension on part of the former car park site with the possibility

Having a long history as a trade and retail ‘hub’ the Waitakere Council argued that the precinct still offers many of the important services expected of a town centre including a post office, police
station, library, banks, community centre as well as numerous shops. Over the years the retail offer has however declined in terms of quality and range reflecting the dominance of LynnMall.

The Merchant is the oldest part of New Lynn and contains numerous built and natural heritage assets including Ceramco House the former BNZ bank building and a few significant trees in Todd Triangle.
Several of the heritage buildings appear a little tired, but in most cases the opportunity to reinvigorate them remains.

Beyond that plans include the second half of the precinct, the area north of Great North Road behind the road frontage and bounded by the Rewarewa Stream. That would be built out primarily as compact family housing (town houses,terraces and patio houses) along narrow mews style lanes. The Rewarewa will be opened up to the public as a linear park including a new footpath along its edge and a new road over it.

The old New Lynn bus depot will be replaced by Merchant Quarter

Whau Local Board Chair, Derek Battersby said the development of this area is an exciting part of the regeneration project for New Lynn as signalled in the New Lynn Urban Plan.

“These new buildings will be located in what will become New Lynn’s Merchant Quarter, which will provide new shopping, entertainment and community facilities for local residents, as well as jobs. The newly opened transport centre is located nearby and is already assisting in making New Lynn an increasingly popular location for people to live and work.
Deputy mayor and former Waitakere deputy, Penny Hulse says the Court decision confirms the council acted in a “fair, sound and reasonable manner –and now the focus is back on the urban regeneration of New Lynn.”

The old bus depot got demolished when the transport hub opened

Works on the development will be completed by late next year.

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7 Comments

 
  1. Antz says:

    Still rather they not build the Parking Building, but other than that. Great news!!!

  2. BD says:

    If the carparking is free for commuters using New Lynn Train Station then its a good idea, if it competes with trains and buses then its a bad mistake!!!!!!!!!

  3. KarlHansen says:

    “including a 3-storey parking building”

    Yay! Progress!

    [Actually, once I read that it has only 260 spaces, I was a bit mollified. That is positively restrained for 2011 Auckland, where car remains still king, even next to big rail stations - just look at all the wide roads in the concept design].

  4. Neil says:

    Would be nice to see a cinema complex back there as well…

  5. Brent C says:

    Are there parking restrictions in New Lynn?
    and
    Why was this at the Envrionment Court?

  6. Jon C says:

    @Brent C If the retail sector and apartments there is going to expand, there are suggestions there won’t be enough parking. The Council needed to get properties near the old bus station so was taking them under the Public Works Act and this led to objections from some of those who had had shops there and were losing them hence the Environment Court.

  7. Patrick R says:

    I still think it’s nuts that the station is separated from the centre by a road, shouldn’t the buses have been put on the highway side of the station? What’s with the meaningless bit of space between the station and the road, do they really think people will hang out there as in the pic? No is the answer.

    Will we ever get the courage to build transport solutions that don’t involve increasing the car parking? One step forward and several back.

    Although still, of course, a big improvement.

 

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