A multi-terrace housing development in Auckland's affluent eastern suburbs has hit the skids because it does not fit the leafy single house character of the neighbourhood.
The 17 dwellings planned for Roberta Avenue in Glendowie have been denied a resource consent by Auckland Council Commissioners; even though council staff recommended it be green lit and it was earlier given the go ahead.
On top of that the government's ordered councils to allow higher density developments to help cut red tape and ease the housing crisis.
A number of residents objected to the development because it was out of step with the area they described as "Beverley Hills".
The development's agent, Barfoot & Thompson's Paul Neshausen, talks to Lisa Owen.
The real estate agent for a scuttled terrace housing development in the affluent Auckland suburb of Glendowie says communication in such developments is the big challenge.
The development has been stalled by a judicial decision after submissions from locals describing the area as like Beverley Hills, with concerns it would spoil the character of the surrounding area.
"The first thing you hear about is when you see it listed on the market. So there's a lot of suspicion about who might buy them, how they might be built," Barfoot & Thompson's Paul Neshausen said.
"If your neighbour's one single house, and their neighbours one single house and that's been going to become 17 townhouses, it sounds a little overwhelming… so noise and parking and how's it all going to work? That's the communication challenge."
Response from opponents of development
In response, the opponents of the development told Checkpoint in an email that the development would have been acceptable if it were a subdivision of 10 dwellings, rather than 17. They argue that the development plans breached density rules in relation to height, boundaries, vehicle access and excavation issues.
