Kinloch subdivision opinions aired
Kinloch.
A decision on Seven Oaks Kinloch’s proposed subdivision of 84 residential sized lots will be made by an independent RMA commissioner with the hearing likely in late August.
By Chris Marshall
The resource consent application, involving approximately 12 hectares at 25 and 27 Kahikatea Drive and Otaketake Rd, west of Kinloch village attracted 34 submissions - 28 in opposition (including two group submissions), two neutral and four in support.
Prominent among the opposers was the Kinloch Community Association (KCA) which felt granting the consent would set a “very concerning precedent”.
While the Seven Oaks application, a reconfiguring of a 2023 100-lot application withdrawn in late 2024, drops the number of lots to 84 and increases their average size, it would still result in a higher density of lots than anticipated for the Kinloch Low Density zone – by creating an additional 68 to the 16 enabled by the Taupō District Plan.
“The vast majority of Kinloch ratepayers communicating with the KCA have a stated desire to see any future development at Kinloch adhere to the specifications set out in the Kinloch Community Structure Plan,” noted the KCA submission.
Water supply concerns particularly over summer, the wastewater treatment plant not coping with disposal of effluent, pressure on existing facilities and adverse effects on Kinloch’s character and amenity were all listed as concerns – also picked up by others.
The KCA submission mentioned that delays in being able to launch a boat in the marina over summer was already resulting in anger, frustration and poor driving, as well as damage to the casual launching facility Scotsman’s Ramp as over-sized vehicles and boats went there instead.
It also noted safety issues from casual and haphazard parking in front of the store and near the beach and the Kinloch Domain covered in hundreds of parked vehicles and boat trailers.
It disagreed with a council planner suggestion to the developer that providing a commercial neighbourhood shopping area within the proposed development might offer some mitigation to the additional housing density.
“We believe the majority of ratepayers do not want a commercial hub/kindergarten in the proposed Seven Oaks commercial location.”
Rather it said this would be covered by the Henry Hall Trust application for a supermarket and café on the former Trev Terry Marine site and proposal to make land available for light commercial activity, hall with a potential kindergarten attached, indoor and outdoor sports facilities and green space.
Submissions in support felt Seven Oaks had “a track record of exceptionally high-quality developments” which many in the community “will undoubtedly welcome”, but others in opposition felt the developer had made significant changes to the original plan and that was threatening to “overshadow a unique and quiet community that is a sought-after area to live in.”
Seven Oaks has included a request for a longer lapse period than the default five-year period for the consents, to 10 years for both the subdivision and land use proposals.
The decision to appoint Gina Sweetman to hear the application was made at Tuesday’s full meeting of the Taupō District Council because some submitters had requested the decision be delegated to commissioners who were not members of the local authority.