June 2026: Chairperson's Report
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June board business meeting: Chair's report
The following is a copy of my Chair's report I write for our monthly business meetings (this one being from 23 June 2026).
Purpose of the report
To receive the chairperson’s update on recent activities of the chairperson, itemised by outcomes in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023.
Executive summary
Items noted in this report are intended to be key highlights, not a full overview of all
activity.
Our People
On 29 May 2026 I was invited to by a guest speaker at Grey Power Hibiscus Coast.
Councillor John Watson was also invited and spoke first about general council business –
recent rate rises, Plan Change 120 and the Auckland Transport transition to Auckland
Council. I focused more on local updates - transport projects, our upcoming local board
plan, recent projects we have delivered, the Fisheries NZ shore-based shellfish
harvesting consultation, and how we are actively investing in older people through our
work programme.
Our Community
I attended the opening of the 12th Hibiscus and Bays Art Awards at Mairangi Arts Centre
with Deputy Chairperson Jake Law and members Julia Parfitt and Mike Bishop. There
was a big turnout and great to see art and awards presented to a lot of local talents.
I caught up with Mairangi Arts Centre and Auckland North Community and Development
(ANCAD) on 28 May 2026. They are working on a pilot project with Mairangi Bay
Intermediate for alternative education opportunities at the ‘art house’ and have partnered
with great organisations for the delivery. They will come to update our local board in due
course.
Our Environment
On 5 June 2026 Conservation Minister Tama Pōtaka invited Hibiscus and Bays Local
Board members (Deputy Chairperson Jake Law and I went) to his media and stakeholder
announcement for Predator Free Auckland funding. The Minister announced a $10
million Government investment over five years to accelerate Predator Free Auckland,
expanding predator eradication across Tāmaki Makaurau and the Hauraki Gulf, including
Auckland's first urban mainland predator elimination project and strengthened protection
of key biodiversity areas. Once feasibility studies are completed for Pest Free Hibiscus
Coast, it could be very likely that this funding pool will directly benefit this project.
Our Places and Economy
Following our Grey Power meeting on 29 May 2026, Councillor John Watson and I (and
apologies from Member Leanne Willis) met with residents of lower Wade River Road.
They alerted us to the road subsiding, parking lines missing near the wharf and some
speed measures they felt they needed some help with to slow vehicles on the very narrow road. We have requested an investigation from Auckland Transport and also connected them with Police regarding drug issues they are seeing around the boat club.
I met with a local resident (former Rodney Councillor Rob Thompson) who wanted to
raise concerns about long-term erosion at Stanmore Bay, where significant sand loss has
occurred since approximately 2005 along a roughly one kilometre stretch north of the
boat ramp, exposing rock that was previously covered even at high tide. The resident
contends that council has a duty under the Reserves Act to maintain and protect land
near his property at 252 Vipond Road, which was vested to council in 1954. Additional
matters raised included recent maintenance work on rock walls around Pōhutukawa trees
on the beach, and exposed steel pins/rods protruding from a stormwater pipe covering on
the beach bedrock, which pose a potential hazard. Our General Manager, Engineering,
Assets and Technical Advisory responded to note:
• Stanmore Bay is subject to natural periods of erosion and accretion, particularly
following storms coinciding with high tides; beach profile monitoring shows sand
naturally recharges over time, though this can take weeks to months
• council is not currently aware of any plans to intervene in these natural fluctuations,
but is considering public-facing information to explain the coastal processes involved
(potentially including a piece in the local paper, and sharing beach profile monitoring
data)
• under the Reserves Act, Council is not required to protect against coastal erosion of
cliffs unless protecting public critical infrastructure (this does not extend to private
property)
• follow-up has been requested on the ownership/maintenance responsibility for the
Pōhutukawa rock walls
• Healthy Waters will be contacted to address the exposed stormwater pins as a
hazard.
Unfortunately, I (and the member appointed as alternate) were unable to make the June
2026 Browns Bay Business Association meeting, however I did want to pass on from the
agenda and manager's report that the town centre manager has announced her
resignation. She has put in an incredible six years of passion, hard work and enthusiasm
to the Business Association.
June board business meeting: written feedback & advocacy
Plan Change 120- Housing Intensification and Resilience
Plan Change 120 (PC120) is Auckland Council's proposed change to the Auckland Unitary Plan that would enable significant housing intensification across the region- originally designed to provide capacity for around 2 million dwellings. Following changes to the Resource Management Act in 2026, the minimum housing capacity requirement was reduced from 2 million to 1.4 million dwellings, opening the door for the council to amend or partially withdraw parts of PC120. The Policy, Planning and Development Committee asked local boards to provide views on two amendment scenarios — Scenario A (Essentials Only, providing 1.4–1.6 million dwellings) and Scenario B (Further Elective Intensification, providing 1.5–1.7 million dwellings)- before the committee decides in July whether to proceed with amendments.
For context, in the Hibiscus and Bays area, the original PC120 proposals were limited- primarily upzoning around Browns Bay Town Centre and Mairangi Bay Local Centre to up to 6 storeys, plus wider residential rezoning. There were no Frequent Transit Network corridors or significant rapid transit walkable catchments proposed in this area.
Over 10,500 submissions were received on PC120 across Auckland, with 56% seeking to decline or significantly amend it, compared to just 23% who supported it as notified.
The board resolved to provide the following views:
That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:
a. whakaae / agree to provide the following views to the Policy, Planning and Development Committee on scenarios to potentially amend Proposed Plan Change 120 – Housing Intensification and Resilience, with particular reference to providing feedback on Scenario A and feedback on Scenario B agreed to by the Policy, Planning and Development Committee on 9 June 2026 for consultation with iwi authorities and engagement with local boards:
i. note that under the original notified Plan Change 120 in 2025, the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area had no Frequent Transit Network corridors proposed and no walkable catchments of significance, with the primary intensification proposals for this local board area being limited to Browns Bay as a Town Centre (up to 6 storeys within approximately 400 metres) and Mairangi Bay as a Local Centre (up to 6 storeys within approximately 200 metres), along with wider residential area rezoning based on the Framework for Urban Access accessibility methodology.
ii. express a clear preference for Scenario A (Essentials Only) as the most appropriate scenario, for the reasons set out below, noting that this position is consistent with the majority of the 10,550 submissions received on Plan Change 120, of which 56% sought to decline the plan change outright or subject to significant amendments, compared to only 23% who supported it as notified or with changes.
iii. support the natural hazard protections common to both scenarios (including downzoning areas with high and very high flood hazard in a 1:20 year event and holding operative Auckland Unitary Plan zones in 1:100 year flood hazard areas) as a necessary baseline, and urge that these be applied rigorously and with specific regard to the coastal inundation, erosion, and overland flow path risks that are well-documented across the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area, including (but not limited to) Browns Bay, Mairangi Bay, Ōrewa and Stanmore Bay.
iv. specifically support the removal of local centres being upzoned under Scenario A, particularly noting Mairangi Bay as a named local centre, noting:
A. the board considers its removal correct and necessary, consistent with feedback provided on the withdrawl of Plan Change 78 (resolution HB/2025/119);
B. that Mairangi Bay is a low-lying coastal settlement severely affected in the January 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods, and that intensification of surrounding land reduces saturation capacity and blocks overland flow paths, creating unacceptable risk to life and property in future flood events- a risk that would have been significantly worse had that event coincided with high tide;
C. that the Mairangi Bay Reserves Management Plan, adopted by this board in September 2025 following statutory public consultation, explicitly recognises increasing risks from climate change and coastal erosion affecting the Mairangi Bay Beach Reserve, Sidmouth Street Reserve and Montrose Terrace Reserve, which immediately adjoin the local centre, making intensification of surrounding land directly contrary to this board's own adopted statutory planning position;
D. that Mairangi Bay is served only by feeder buses to transport hubs and does not have direct or rapid transit to the city centre, and does not meet the accessibility standard the board considers appropriate for THAB zoning, noting that the section 32 evaluation for Plan Change 120 is explicit that FTN corridor and local centre intensification beyond NPS-UD requirements was introduced specifically to reach the then-2-million capacity target- a target that has since been reduced to a minimum of 1.4 million; and
E. that steep gullies, discontinuous footpaths, and constrained corridors reduce practical walkability to Mairangi Bay's town centre amenities and public transport for many of the proposed THAB zones, further undermining the accessibility rationale for this zoning;
v. request that the committee carefully consider that a blanket rule of town centres being included in Scenario A and B, as it is not always appropriate and some flexibility should be allowed for to ensure that specific issues and concerns in some town centres can be addressed rather than a crude tool to include them all without considering local board, iwi and community feedback relating to concerns about upzoning in some of them.
vi. note that Browns Bay is retained as a Town Centre under both Scenario A and Scenario B, and that the board does not support the intensification this enables in Browns Bay, noting:
A. that the board's previous feedback on the withdrawl of Plan Change 78 (resolution HB/2025/119) explicitly opposed upzoning immediately surrounding Browns Bay town centre to Mixed Housing Urban Zone and THAB Zone on flooding, transport, and natural hazard grounds, and that position has not changed;
B. that Browns Bay is a low-lying coastal town centre that was severely affected in the January 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods, which would have been significantly more catastrophic had the event coincided with high tide, and the board is not satisfied that natural hazard overlays and planning controls alone are a sufficient safeguard against the risks that further intensification of surrounding land creates- including reduced land saturation, blocked overland flow paths, and increased pressure on already-constrained stormwater infrastructure;
C. that while the board recognises the natural hazard provisions common to both scenarios (including downzoning of high and very high flood hazard areas) provide some degree of protection, planning overlays are inherently reactive tools that respond to known hazard mapping at a point in time, and do not adequately account for the cumulative effects of intensification on flood behaviour, the increased exposure of a larger residential population to hazard events, or the updated rainfall data that is already informing revised flood modelling under PC120;
D. that Browns Bay has limited direct or any rapid public transport connections to the city centre, relying on feeder bus services to transport hubs, and the transport infrastructure serving the town centre is not of a standard that the board considers appropriate to support the scale of intensification that Town Centre zoning enables; and
E. that the board urges the committee and the Independent Hearings Panel to give full weight to the community feedback received during both Plan Change 78 and Plan Change 120 submissions that opposed intensification in Browns Bay, and requests that the natural hazard provisions be applied as rigorously and expansively as possible within and around the town centre to minimise the intensification that is ultimately realised, even where it cannot be removed entirely under the current NPS-UD requirements.
vii. Support the removal of upzoning across the Hibiscus Coast, and maintain the board's strong position that was previously expressed in resolution HB/2025/119, that any upzoning in the Hibiscus Coast subdivision is entirely inappropriate in light of existing water and wastewater constraints across the Hibiscus Coast and the longer term transport infrastructure constraints on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, noting:
A. that this infrastructure constraint has not been resolved since the board's August 2025 feedback and that upzoning ahead of confirmed servicing solutions is contrary to sound planning practice; and
B. that under both Scenario A and Scenario B the Hibiscus Coast is not subject to walkable catchment or FTN corridor upzoning, and the board strongly supports that position being maintained, with any future rezoning in this area made explicitly conditional on demonstrated wastewater, water, and transport infrastructure capacity being in place before zoning changes take effect.
viii. note that the coastal settlements of Ōrewa, Whangaparāoa, Browns Bay and Mairangi Bay are contending with active erosion and coastal hazard management, and that enabling more height and density in hazard-prone coastal fringes is inconsistent with risk-reduction and adaptation objectives, irrespective of which scenario is adopted.
viii. note that the coastal settlements of Ōrewa, Whangaparāoa, Browns Bay and Mairangi Bay are contending with active erosion and coastal hazard management, and that enabling more height and density in hazard-prone coastal fringes is inconsistent with risk-reduction and adaptation objectives, irrespective of which scenario is adopted.
ix. note, as a matter of broader planning principle, that the evidence base for intensification consistently shows it delivers liveability and sustainability benefits only when concentrated in areas with genuine transport accessibility and infrastructure capacity. The OECD Compact City Policies: A Comparative Assessment (2012) identifies effective compact city policy as requiring dense development patterns linked by public transport and accessible to local services and jobs (conditions that do not describe the peripheral, coastal, and transport-constrained character of most of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area) and that this reinforces the board's position that intensification here should be limited, staged, and conditional on transport and infrastructure investment being confirmed and in place beforehand;
x. request that detailed, interactive spatial mapping of the implications of both scenarios specifically for the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area be made available to the board and the public as early as possible to support informed community input ahead of the second public submission round expected in the coming months.
b. whakaae / agree to provide the following views to the Policy, Planning and Development Committee on whether the local board supports partial withdrawal of the ‘white out’ areas shown in the wider residential areas in Scenario A and Scenario B:
i. support the removal of wider residential area rezoning under both Scenario A and Scenario B, which reverts these areas to operative Auckland Unitary Plan zoning, noting:
A. that the wider residential area rezoning in Plan Change 120 was introduced specifically to contribute to the then-2-million housing capacity requirement using the Framework for Urban Access accessibility methodology, and that the reduction of the minimum capacity requirement to 1.4 million dwellings removes the primary justification for this layer of intensification; and
B. that the Framework for Urban Access methodology, while a useful analytical tool, cannot adequately capture the specific infrastructure constraints affecting the Hibiscus and Bays area (particularly wastewater capacity limitations at the Watercare Army Bay pump station) and that access scores alone are an insufficient basis for rezoning in areas with known servicing constraints;
ii. that returning these areas to operative AUP zoning is consistent with the board's longstanding position that growth should be staged and conditional on infrastructure capacity, and is supported by the dominant direction of public submissions on Plan Change 120.
iii. support the partial withdrawal of the 'white out' wider residential areas in both scenarios as proposed, and do not seek any additional rezoning or intensification beyond what is required under the NPS-UD in the wider residential areas of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area at this time.
iv. note that any future consideration of rezoning in the wider residential areas of this local board should be subject to explicit staging triggers, including demonstrated network capacity thresholds and confirmed infrastructure project milestones, before any zoning changes take effect, and request that this condition be reflected in any future plan change affecting this area.
Transport Governance Transition
As part of Auckland's transport reform, local boards will take on significant new decision-making powers over local and collector roads- covering everything from parking controls and speed limits to footpaths and road corridor access. This report asked the board to provide early feedback on how those decisions should be governed, ahead of detailed options being presented in July and August 2026.
The board broadly supported the proposed design principles but asked that community voice and engagement between elections be more explicitly recognised alongside democratic accountability. Staff delegations for operational decisions were supported in principle, provided strong mechanisms exist to reflect local context- and the board recommended each local board be given a dedicated transport advisor to strengthen that relationship.
The board does not support the transport lead model, raising concerns about concentrating risk and accountability on one or two members who cannot adequately represent the full board's diverse perspectives, and who would take on significantly more responsibility without additional remuneration. Joint decision-making across boundaries was supported in principle, with a request for clear, fair criteria so all affected boards are properly involved. The board also flagged the importance of being able to seek case-by-case delegations from the Governing Body for transport matters of particular local significance.
Move-On Orders Legislation
The Government is proposing to amend the Summary Offences Act to give NZ Police the power to issue move-on orders, requiring individuals to leave a public place for a defined period where behaviour is considered disorderly, intimidating, or disruptive. Auckland Council was preparing a submission and asked local boards to provide feedback.
The board broadly supports the intent of the Bill- providing enforcement agencies with additional tools to respond to genuinely harmful or anti-social behaviour and improve public safety and accessibility. However, it was clear that these powers should be a last resort, applied within an "engage first, enforce when necessary" framework that prioritises de-escalation and connection to support services before enforcement action is taken.
The board does not support rough sleeping or begging in themselves being grounds for a move-on order. These are circumstances arising from hardship and homelessness, not inherently anti-social behaviour, and treating them as such risks stigmatising vulnerable people and simply displacing problems elsewhere. The existing criteria around disorderly or disruptive behaviour are considered sufficient.
The board also called for clear operational guidelines to ensure consistent decision-making, robust safeguards against bias or disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups, and ongoing monitoring and reporting. It strongly supports complementary investment from central government in housing, mental health, addiction treatment, and social services- recognising that enforcement tools alone will not deliver lasting outcomes. Effective implementation, the board noted, will require genuine collaboration between police, local government, mana whenua, social service providers, and community organisations.
Watercare Significance and Engagement Policy
Under new legislation passed in 2025, Watercare is now required for the first time to develop its own Significance and Engagement Policy- a formal document that sets out how it will assess whether a decision is significant, and how it will engage with consumers, communities, mana whenua and other stakeholders when it is. The policy must be adopted by August 2026.
This report asked the board to provide feedback on the draft policy to help shape its final form before it goes to the Budget and Performance Committee for approval in July.
The board resolved to provide the following views:
The board broadly supports the policy framework and its values-based approach. However, it made three specific requests. First, that the use, lease, or acquisition of public open space — including parks and reserves — be explicitly named as a factor when assessing significance, given how politically and community-sensitive any proposal to use local public land for water infrastructure can be, particularly in fast-growing areas like Hibiscus and Bays. Second, that environmental and cultural heritage criteria be strengthened to recognise cumulative effects across multiple projects in the same geographic area, not just the effects of a single project in isolation — with specific recognition of the value of the Hauraki Gulf and the Long Bay–Okura Marine Reserve. Third, that engagement on high significance proposals begin before a preferred site or design is confirmed, so that communities and the board have a genuine opportunity to help shape options rather than simply react to a decision already in progress.
June board business meeting key reports to note
Approval of the Community Work Programme 2026/2027 — Setting the Plan for the Year Ahead
Each year the board approves a Community Work Programme that sets out what projects and services will be delivered across the local board area and how the budget will be allocated. This is a significant piece of decision-making as it locks in spending across parks, community facilities, leisure centres, libraries, grants, events, and environmental programmes for the coming financial year.
This year's programme totals over $28 million in operating expenditure, plus a substantial capital programme covering renewals, new developments, and growth projects. The board also converted $1.3 million of unspent operating funding into capital- an option made available under the 2026/2027 Annual Plan, to bring forward additional projects.
Some highlights from what the board approved include continued funding for Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre operations ($3 million), library services across East Coast Bays, Ōrewa and Whangaparāoa ($3.1 million), the Orewa Holiday Park ($1.45 million), and the full facilities maintenance contracts that keep parks, open spaces and buildings across the area in good condition ($10.5 million). Community programmes covering youth, diversity and inclusion, Māori responsiveness, emergency resilience, ecological volunteering, and community grants were also confirmed.
On the capital side, notable projects include the final physical works on the Orewa northern seawall (a long-running $21.6 million project), development of the new youth park at Awaruaika/Streamview Way in East Coast Bays, permanent pump tracks in both subdivisions, renewal of the East Coast Bays Community Centre, sports field lighting investigations at Stanmore Bay and other parks, and continued renewal of playgrounds, walkways, and park buildings across the area.
The board also approved the decommissioning of two unsafe structures- the Pacific Parade Staircase and the Arkles Bay Coastal Reserve staircase and clifftop path- under the council's Delivering Differently programme, with work expected to be completed by December 2026.
Approval of the Environmental Management and Community Leases Work Programmes 2026/2027 — Investing in Our Natural Environment
Alongside the broader Community Work Programme, the board also approved two specialist work programmes: the Local Environmental Management Work Programme and the Local Community Leases Work Programme for 2026/2027.
The environmental programme totals $692,470 and funds a range of community-led and council-supported initiatives focused on biodiversity, waste reduction, water quality, and climate action. Key programmes approved include:
Pest and predator control — $115,000 to continue the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast programme, which maintains a predator control network across 3,100 hectares, 131 parks and 12 large private blocks, supported by 145 volunteers. Over 50,000 rats and 230 possums were removed in 2025 alone. A targeted possum control programme in ecologically significant areas along the Weiti River and Matakatia will also receive dedicated funding.
Ecological restoration — $153,575 for environmental restoration network coordinators who support community groups with technical guidance, pest plant and animal control, and on-the-ground restoration work across the area. The board also continued $63,620 for community riparian planting along streams and waterways, including a partnership with Te Herenga Waka o Ōrewa Marae.
Schools and youth — $41,300 for the Ko Te Wai He Taonga freshwater and marine education programme (now expanded to five schools), $50,000 for Zero Waste Zero Carbon initiatives in five schools, and $60,000 for community cycling and cycle skills training.
Waste and waterways — $68,810 for Trash Free Taiaotea, which works with East Coast Bays communities to reduce waste through composting, food rescue and clean-ups. $19,000 was also approved to restart the Browns Bay Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme (last run in 2017), targeting high-risk businesses like mechanics and automotive workshops to reduce stormwater pollution. Surveillance cameras to deter and detect illegal dumping received $41,765.
Other programmes — $30,900 for EcoNeighbourhoods (supporting households to adopt sustainable practices), $26,000 for native fish habitat restoration and stream monitoring, $20,000 for Whangaparāoa College wetland restoration, and $2,500 for Te Ao Māori and community-led conservation sessions led by Ngāti Manuhiri.
The board also approved the Local Community Leases Work Programme, which sets out the lease renewals and new leases to be progressed with community organisations during the year, and noted the regionally funded Auckland Emergency Management Work Programme focused on building local emergency readiness and resilience.
The board also resolved to add an expression of interest process for a new pavilion at Metro Park East to the leases work programme- reflecting the long-term vision for that growing community hub in Silverdale.
Ōrewa Reserve Coastal Structures — Saving $80,000 by Using In-House Expertise
Last year the board resolved to seek advice from external subject matter experts to investigate the viability of a range of hard coastal structures at Ōrewa Beach (such as seawalls or revetments), as part of ongoing work to address coastal erosion at Ōrewa Reserve.
Since then, staff confirmed that Auckland Council's own Coastal Management and Parks and Community Facilities teams have the technical expertise to carry out this analysis internally — at little to no cost. Hiring external consultants would have cost approximately $80,000.
The board resolved to amend the original resolution to remove the requirement for external experts, allowing the work to proceed in-house. The board also noted the importance of ensuring the assessment remains robust, transparent, and defensible — acknowledging that an internal approach can carry some perception risk — and will receive the findings in due course to inform any future decisions about coastal protection at Ōrewa Beach.
Metro Park Storage Licences — Regularising Arrangements for Sporting Clubs at Silverdale
Two community sporting trusts based at Metro Park East in Silverdale have been using storage containers on site to house equipment for local sporting clubs for several years. However, the original licence arrangement had become non-compliant — the containers weren't located within the licensed area — and a governance change had also resulted in two separate entities operating where there was previously one: Metropark Community Sports Charitable Trust and the newer Metro Community Trust.
The board resolved to terminate the existing non-compliant licence and replace it with two new five-year licences (each with a right of renewal), one for each trust, over clearly defined grass areas that avoid any reduction in car parking. Each trust will pay $650 plus GST per annum. Both trusts have three months to relocate their containers into their newly designated areas, and Auckland Council retains the right to terminate either licence on six months' notice to allow for any future development of the park.
The board also noted that a further temporary container will be placed at Metro Park East to accommodate cricket while the field renewal at Victor Eaves Park is completed in 2026/2027.
Auckland Transport consultations: have your say
There are several Auckland Transport consultations open right now that affect our area. Here's a quick summary of each- make sure you have your say before the deadlines close.
Whangaparāoa Bus Station: closes 19 July
A new bus station is planned for central Whangaparāoa to support the area's growth and connect with the O Mahurangi–Penlink highway when it opens in 2029. The updated 2026 design includes a drop off facility, public toilets, seating, CCTV, bike storage and a customer service area. You can also attend in-person sessions at Whangaparāoa Library on Friday 3 July (10am–12pm) or Saturday 4 July (12pm–2pm). Note that funding is not yet confirmed.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/wbs-coast
Ōrewa Town Centre Paid Parking: closes 23 July
Auckland Transport is consulting on two options for introducing paid parking ($1/hour, 8am–6pm, Mon–Sun) in the busiest parts of Ōrewa Town Centre to improve availability for shoppers and visitors. Option A covers around 75 spaces across several locations; Option B covers around 58 spaces focused on Bakehouse Lane and Orewa Square. Free time-limited parking and 10 minutes of free parking in paid zones would remain.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/orewa-parking-proposal
Brightside Road and Kauri Road Intersection, Stanmore Bay: closes 1 August
Safety improvements are planned at this Stanmore Bay intersection, including a new mountable roundabout, pedestrian refuges on both roads, upgraded pram crossings with tactile pavers, and no-stopping lines near 135 Brightside Road to improve visibility. Construction is planned for late 2026/early 2027.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/improving-safety-at-the-intersection-of-brightside-road-and-kauri-road-in-stanmore-bay
East Coast Road and Spencer Road Intersection, Pinehill: closes 15 July
This busy intersection carries over 20,000 vehicles daily and has seen four accidents in five years. AT is proposing to install traffic lights, build a new footpath between 720 and 756 East Coast Road, relocate bus stops, add broken yellow lines to improve visibility, and install new school bus stops on Spencer Road.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/ecr-spencer-safety-improvements
Mairangi Bay Village Parking Changes: closes 10 July
Following a request from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board and the Mairangi Bay Business Association, AT is proposing to change parking restrictions in the village from P60 Monday–Sunday to P60 Monday–Friday only, freeing up weekend parking for visitors. Additional angle parking spaces on Hastings Road and Beach Road would also create more spaces overall.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/changing-parking-restrictions-within-the-mairangi-bay-village
Ringi Lane, Ōrewa: closes 10 July
In response to community requests, AT is proposing to install no-stopping broken yellow lines near the pram crossing at 16 Ringi Lane to improve safety and visibility for people crossing to the park. This would remove two car parking spaces.👉 haveyoursay.at.govt.nz/improving-access-on-ringi-lane-orewa
Our pump track arrives at Red Beach!
What a fantastic turnout for the opening of the new Red Beach pump track!
Desite the torrential downpour at the start, it was awesome to see so many young people and families out giving the track a go, testing their skills and enjoying this fantastic new community facility.
We heard loud and clear that our community wanted more opportunities for wheeled play, and I'm thrilled to see that vision now become a reality. The pump track includes spaces for beginners, through to more confident riders.
I have been blown away by the amazing feedback- not just from young people but parents who are telling us how wonderful it's been in getting their kids active, social and busy - and off devices!
A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring our vision to a reality- council staff, contractors (TrailPro), and all those who provided feedback along the way. Big thanks to Riders Ready Bike Club for managing the track and helping everyone on it. Thank you to all the young people, parents and teachers from Red Beach School who performed some fantastic waiata for us in the heavy rain!
I can't wait to see this space enjoyed for years to come. Whether you're on a bike, scooter, skateboard, or simply cheering from the sidelines, Red Beach Park has a fantastic new place for people of all ages to get active, build confidence, and have fun outdoors.
Watch this space as we deliver a slightly different one as part of a youth park development in Long Bay toward the end of 2026.
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