Plans, policies and reports
Hauraki Gulf Islands review
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Issues and options papers
Matiatia
Issue
As the primary entry and exit point for residents and visitors to Waiheke
Island, Matiatia wharf and the surrounding area is part of the essential
infrastructure on the Island. Evidence given to the Environment Court in
December 2004 estimated that 1.7 million trips are made through Matiatia every
year.
The current facilities at Matiatia include the wharves, bus parks and
turnaround, car parks (both privately and publicly owned), the Harbourmaster's
Restaurant, and facilities for car and kayak rental operators.
The land on the valley floor at Matiatia is classified Land Unit 25 - Wharf,
in the Hauraki Gulf Islands (HGI) Plan. Within these provisions, an outline plan
of development is used to define the location of particular activities at
Matiatia.
In June 2002, Waitemata Infrastructure Limited (WIL) lodged a private plan
change application (plan change 38) to re-classify the land on the valley floor
at Matiatia from Land Unit 25 - Wharf to Land Unit 27 - Matiatia.
In summary, the provisions of plan change 38 provide for and include:
- A mix and range of activities and uses. Permitted activities include
residential units, commercial facilities, conference and events facilities
and restaurants and retail premises.
- Development and threshold controls which address issues such as height,
lot coverage, noise, earthworks, parking, wastewater, yards, temporary
activities and the amount of gross floor area (GFA) that can be constructed.
- An environmental code and design code to guide the built form of
development and manage potential effects of the development on the
surrounding environment.
A hearing of the plan change 38 was held in the Environment Court in December
2004. The Environment Court released an interim decision on the 31st March 2005.
In summary, the key findings of the interim decision are as follows:
- "The provision of existing Land Unit 25 are outdated and
inappropriate in many ways, especially as regards the important
"Waiheke gateway" function the land provides"
- "It is possible that 12,000m2 GFA of development would generate more
than WIL's authorized/allocated wastewater discharge of 97m3/day to the
Owhanake treatment plant. While that could possibly be addressed with
recycling of treated effluent for certain purposes, there are some
uncertainties presently surrounding that activity that militate in favour of
limiting permitted development to 10,000m2 at the present time"
- "The activity status for development up to 10,000m2 GFA should be
permitted (subject to buildings and structures requiring controlled activity
consent"
- "The activity status for consent purposes between aggregate 10,000m2
and 18,500m2 GFA should be full discretionary"
- "Plan Change 38 should not espouse or emphasise non-notification of
the discretionary activity applications, but instead sections 93 to 94D RMA
should be left to play their part"
The Environment Court has directed the parties to agree the final detail
provisions of plan change 38 by the 30th of May 2005. The final detail of the
provisions should be in-line with and give effect to the findings set out above
and the other findings set out in the interim decision. If all matters cannot be
agreed, the Environment Court will hold a further hearing to determine the final
detail of plan change 38.
Possible approaches
The approach should be determined once a final decision has been issued by
the Environment Court, however submissions are able to be made on the approach
taken when the Proposed District Plan is notified.
Note:
While this issue paper can be read in isolation, it is best read in
association with the issue papers relating to:
