Rowesdale Drive, Ohauiti

There is broader programme of work across Tauranga to improve the transport network – simply known as the Transport System Plan.

At a high level, this plan is looking to provide people with greater and safer transport choices. This work has a strong focus on the shift the City needs to make towards public transport and active modes (likely cycling) with less resilience on cars and our ability to always build our way out of congestion. It is also focussed on how we can reduce the need for travel by providing amenities like parks and shops locally.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency have undertaken some preliminary investigation of some relatively minor improvements to the SH29a / Poike Road roundabout. This work identified that a more significant and costly improvement was needed than first anticipated. Next steps for any improvement of that intersection are still to be identified by Waka Kotahi.

There is also an investigation into how 15th Ave/ Turret Road and Welcome Bay Road can be improved. This is getting underway now. In the medium / longer term Waka Kotahi have an investigation into how to improve SH29a.

A broader piece of work known as the Welcome Bay and Ohauiti Planning Study has been completed. As a result of this work TCC is investigating options for sportsfields in Ohauiti and the upgrade of the Welcome Bay Community Hall and Centre, it also involves working with the Ministry of Education on schooling provision within the Ohauiti area. The need for additional retail and commercial facilities in Ohauiti has also been highlighted and will be considered in future when the City Plan is reviewed (or an alternative to the City Plan is developed as part of the government Resource Management reforms).

At the development level for the land the need for a neighbourhood reserve and playground would occur through consenting process if development moves ahead.

Access to the site from the west via Oropi Road (known as Option 2) was investigated. However, this option needs to cross a river, multiple-owned Maori land and was identified as having greater social / cultural, geotechnical / infrastructure and environmental impacts than a number of other options including the preferred via Rowesdale Drive. These factors contributed to an Oropi Road connection not being preferred.

We understand developers are negotiating with some of the current landowners to purchase properties within the Residential Zoned site. The timing for any development will ultimately be determined by a developer. Access to the land will be a pre-requisite to this and is Councils focus. At this stage, we are anticipating a High Court Hearing on the Property Law Act application in mid-2022. Should this be successful then development of the land might progress in the next 1 to 2 years plus but that timing is dependent on a number of factors e.g. the PLA application being successful; the developers timeframes; subdivision consenting timeframes.

As noted above in respect to Q.4, this is subject to a number of factors but possibly within the next 1-2 years plus.

The land in question has been zoned Residential and part of the Ohauiti Structure Plan since the 1990s. Private covenants have restricted access to the land and Council is now looking to address these.

We have no basis to inform how property values may be affected outside those that benefit from the private covenants. Any statutory entitlement to compensation under the PLA (for extinguishment of the covenant) or PWA (for compulsory acquisition) is only available to property owners who are actually losing a property interest (i.e. the benefit of the land covenant), these being the 21 directly affected properties in Rowesdale Drive.  For clarity, it is the loss of a registered property interest itself which is the legal issue, as opposed to any effects which might arise from a subsequent development. Compensation is not available to residents who are simply exposed to the effects of urban development, such as increased traffic.