Auckland Council staff have been asked to begin working on a single notified resource consent application for the development of Chamberlain Park.
Albert-Eden Local Board made the decision at last night’s business meeting and the process will allow the public to have their say on the development of the park as outlined in the 2015 Chamberlain Park Masterplan.
Albert-Eden Local Board has allocated $1.2 million of its locally-driven initiatives budget to deliver the first stage of the masterplan, which included construction of a neighbourhood park and playground at the western end of Chamberlain Park, while retaining an 18-hole golf course.
Project Background
The local board adopted the Chamberlain Park Master Plan in August 2015. The masterplan envisaged a number of changes to the current uses of Chamberlain Park, including increasing the range of recreational facilities, restoring Meola Creek and wetlands, providing walking and cycling linkages through the park and promoting active and healthy lifestyles.
In December 2018, a second judicial review application in relation to Chamberlain Park was lodged by the Save Chamberlain Park group, this time in relation to the resource consent obtained by Auckland Council’s Community Facilities department for development of a new playground area at Chamberlain Park.
Auckland Council considered the points made in the judicial review application and decided to surrender the current resource consent and begin a new consent application process.
One focus of the judicial review application was on the consent application being processed without public notification. General Manager Resource Consents Ian Smallburn said that while the application was for public amenities in a public reserve, which will not substantially affect the golf course, the broader context of public interest was a factor which could have been explored further in the notification decision.
What are the expected next steps?
The preparation of a single comprehensive resource consent application requires a range of work to be undertaken, including further site investigations, concept and developed design, detailed business case, preparation of a consent application and engagement with iwi, stakeholders and the public.
