News that Henderson has one of two neighbourhoods to achieve a Green Star – Community rating for exceptional masterplanning has been heralded as a step change for the area.
The Opanuku Precinct in Henderson has been awarded the accolade by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), for the commitment to sustainability, planning for climate change and building community resilience.
Waitākere Ward Councillors Linda Cooper and Shane Henderson welcomed the news.
Step Change
“This is a step change for Henderson, having designs and plans that are of the highest standard show that the area is on the verge of a significant uplift,” says Councillor Cooper.
“The Unlock Henderson project will, along with improved connection to the central city thanks to the City Rail Link upgrade, make the area one of the most vibrant and desirable areas in the whole of Auckland in the future.
“We are already seeing transformative projects underway that are providing a real blueprint for the area. Winning this award shows that the thinking goes beyond merely planning a space but considering and embracing the environment as part of the plan too.”
Councillor Henderson agrees. “This really shows the care and expertise being brought to the table in terms of our sustainability.
“We know that the climate needs to be at the forefront of our minds as we plan the future of the city, and this award shows that we are already leading the way in our planning, and that is incredibly important.”
Natural environment
Henderson-Massey Local Board chair, Chris Carter, says it is nothing less than west Aucklanders should expect.
“West Auckland has always been at the forefront of caring for the natural environment, and west Aucklanders expect nothing less than for the future of their areas to be designed with the climate in mind”, he says.
“This award demonstrates that principle is alive and well and on behalf of the board my congratulations go to Panuku for a well-deserved award. Henderson will reap the benefits of their diligence and that is an outstanding result.”
Criteria
Obtaining a rating requires projects to provide evidence against a rigorous set of criteria, organised under five categories; Governance, Liveability, Economic Prosperity, Environment and Innovation. Evidence is independently assessed, and a project receives a score out of a total of 110, which ultimately informs the rating.
Alongside Henderson, Takapuna also won the award for the Unlock Takapuna project. Both assessments performed exceptionally well under Liveability, Governance and Economic Prosperity. This recognised the physical environment and community infrastructure present in these projects as well as Panuku’s influence, including placemaking, engagement, and best-practice design and sustainability expectations for development sites and the public realm.
