LOCATION GROUP GAINS CONSENT FOR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT

Simon Berry and Kate Storer recently acted for Location Group, successfully obtaining consent for a six storey mixed use development in Hargreaves Street on the Auckland city fringe, just off College Hill. The consent authorises the addition of four storeys on top of an existing two storey building, to establish 29 apartments and four retail and commercial units.

The project initially faced challenges typical of those arising from intensification in such locations, particularly concerns from local residents and council planners that the development would adversely affect neighbourhood amenity, including shading and loss of outlook and privacy.

In response, Location Group engaged urban design expert Ian Munro to consider the issues raised and design solutions. Ian worked constructively with council urban designers which resulted in a number of design amendments that helped to address the urban amenity issues without compromising the original vision for the development.

Kate Storer says, "The developer’s aim was to optimise the potential of the site, while adaptively reusing the existing sound concrete structure and significantly improving the amenity of the streetscape. We were particularly pleased that constructive dialogue with Council officers facilitated a more suitable design and enabled them to support the development.”