Food Forest Garden working bee

We’ll be at the Community Garden and Food Forest this Saturday:

Date: Saturday 12 June 2021, 10 am to 12 noon (ical)
Place: Food Forest Garden, Muri Reserve (map)

Feel free to come along as we’ll be working on the berry area and usual maintenance, plus the usual cups of tea from the thermette. If available, you can bring gloves and hand tools, and green matter for the compost bins (e.g. veg scraps). We now have two regular mornings in the garden:

  • 2nd Saturday of the month
  • Last Wednesday of the month

We look forward to catching up with you soon,
Pukerua Bay Community Garden & Food Forest members

Food Forest Garden working bee Read More »

Community Garden Food Forest working bee

We’ll be at the Community Garden and Food Forest this Saturday 12 June at 10am to 12 noon (ish). Feel free to come along as we’ll be working on the berry area and usual maintenance, plus the usual cups of tea from the thermette. If available, you can bring:
  • Gloves and hand tools
  • Green matter for the compost bins (e.g. veg scraps)
We now have two regular mornings in the garden:
  • 2nd Saturday of the month
  • Last Wednesday of the month

We look forward to catching up with you soon,
PKB Community Garden & Food Forest members

Community Garden Food Forest working bee Read More »

Kāinga Ora’s proposal on multi-level buildings in Pukerua Bay

The Government’s social housing agency, Kāinga Ora, has asked Porirua City Council to change PCC’s proposed District Plan to allow for buildings at least six-stories high in several areas in Porirua, including part of Pukerua Bay.

This comes from the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), which is a policy that councils have to incorporate into their plans and allow to operate — they have no choice about this. In the words of the policy statement, ‘Councils must give effect to these objectives and policies.’ There is a one-page summary here.

It’s an attempt to improve how cities respond to growth to enable improved housing affordability and community wellbeing.

Some of the provisions in it apply to the areas under the most pressure — the Tier 1 councils. Wellington region is one of these.

The relevant part to the NPS-UD is Policy 3, which says that for tier 1 local authorities, maximum capacity must be enabled in city centre zones. They must also enable development of at least six storeys in metropolitan centre zones and within walkable distances of rapid transit stops, and the edge of city centre and metropolitan zones. In these locations, six storeys are not a target, but is a minimum for what must be enabled in plans. If assessments show that both demand and access are high in these areas, councils should enable heights and densities that reflect this.

There is a fact sheet on intensification here.

The government has provided advice to councils with high- or medium-growth urban areas on how to meet the requirements in the NPS-UD.

Kāinga Ora’s proposal

Kāinga Ora has proposed that these 6-storey minimum buildings be allowed in six areas in Porirua. (Their full submission is here — number 81 in the list.)

Kāinga Ora maps of high-density zones — Pukerua Bay is the first map in the document, and the high-density zone is the orange and white striped area centred around the train station. There is also an online map you can enter your address into to find the nearest high-density zones.

This appears to be a standard submission Kāinga Ora is making around the country to include this form of intensification in councils’ District Plans and is not specifically targeted at Porirua. The areas seem to be simply drawn around train stations and certain urban facilities, such as shopping centres, without any analysis of whether they are suitable. Or, in the case of Pukerua Bay, whether our train station counts as a ‘rapid transit stop’ and whether ‘both demand and access are high’ for intensive development in this area.

The proposal would allow for very little input at the resource consent stage by affected neighbours.

Further submissions

We are allowed to make further submissions in response to ones like Kāinga Ora’s submissions – even if we didn’t make a submission initially.

The further submission can only respond to initial submissions and can’t bring up new matters. They must say what you agree with or disagree with and why.

Deadline for further submissions

These must be with PCC by 11 May.

There are links on this page to the ways you can make further submissions by filling out this Word document form.

Need a hand?

The summary reports are complex and PCC is able to help you understand them.

You can make an appointment to talk to a member of PCC’s planning team. Please email or call: dpreview@pcc.govt.nz ph 04 237 5089

If you would like help making a further submission, an independent ‘Friend of the Submitter’ service is available. Please email or call FriendofSubmittersPDP@poriruacity.govt.nz ph 021 532 284

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Six or more Storey Buildings for Pukerua Bay?

This Saturday 24 April at 2pm the Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association will be holding a meeting for residents at the Pukerua Bay RSA clubrooms at 5 Wairaka Road to discuss a submission in response to the Kāinga Ora proposal for High Density Zones in Porirua City, including Pukerua Bay.

Date: Saturday, 24 April, 2pm – 4pm (ical)
Venue:
Pukerua Bay RSA, 5 Wairaka Road (map)

Louise White, Planner in the Environment & City Planning Team, and Emily Bayliss, an independent ‘Friend of the Submitter’, will both attend to assist residents better understand Kāinga Ora’s submission and the further submission process. Cr Josh Trlin will also be coming to the meeting.

Kāinga Ora has made a request for a high-density residential zone, enabling buildings of six storeys or more. For more context to Kāinga Ora’s request you can read and download the full submission here:

Submission 81 Kainga Ora – Homes and Communities (PDF, 122 MB)

Specific reference to a high-density residential zone is made on pages 10 & 16 of the submission, and in attachments 2 and 3. Further reading useful to setting the scene can be found on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development NPS page, here:

National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD)

Six or more Storey Buildings for Pukerua Bay? Read More »

Residents meeting: High Density Housing proposal

The Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association is holding a meeting for residents at the Pukerua Bay RSA to discuss a submission in response to the Kāinga Ora proposal for High Density Zones in Porirua City, including Pukerua Bay. Louise White, Planner in the Environment & City Planning Team, and Emily Bayliss, an independent ‘Friend of the Submitter’, will both attend to assist residents better understand Kāinga Ora’s submission and the further submission process. Cr Josh Trlin will also be coming to the meeting.

Kāinga Ora has made a request for a high-density residential zone, enabling buildings of six storeys or more. For more context to Kāinga Ora’s request you can read and download the full submission here:

Submission 81 Kainga Ora – Homes and Communities (PDF, 122 MB)

Specific reference to a high-density residential zone is made on pages 10 & 16 of the submission, and in attachments 2 and 3. Further reading useful to setting the scene can be found on the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development NPS page, here:

National Policy Statement on Urban Development 2020 (NPS-UD)

Residents meeting: High Density Housing proposal Read More »

Long Term Plan consultation 2021

The Porirua City Council Long Term Plan (LTP) Consultation is underway for 2021. The LTP sets the direction, priorities and budgets for the city for the next 30 years, and details the planned services, activities and projects for Porirua, and how Council will pay for them. Community input is essential to make sure the council have the right focus. Public consultation is open from 26 March 2021 to 27 April 2021.

Download: Long Term Plan consultation document (PDF)
Make a submission online: submissions.pcc.govt.nz

Community Workshop

Mana Cruising Club, 5 Pascoe Ave, Ngāti Toa Domain, Paremata, 7 April, 7-8pm (Facebook event)

Community Drop-Ins

Pātaka, Cnr Parumoana Street & Norrie Street, 10 & 11 April, 12 noon – 2pm (Facebook event)
North City Shopping Centre 2 Titahi Road, Porirua, 16 and 17 April, 10am – 1pm (Facebook event)
North City Shopping Centre 2 Titahi Road, Porirua, 18 April 10am – 12 noon (Facebook event)

For more information, upcoming event details and supporting documentation, see the Council LTP consultation page.

Long Term Plan consultation 2021 Read More »

Community Garden Picnic

Saturday 27th March 2021, 4pm – 7pm (ical)
Venue: Community Food Forest Garden, by Muri Station (map)

Welcome to all those interested in the garden project, their friends and families. Come along for a picnic in the gardens to celebrate the end of summer and work done to date. Bring your own drink and food to share, plates, utensils etc (our BBQ will be available). The thermette will also be in action for hot drinks. We look forward to seeing you there. Everyone welcome.

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Community Garden Picnic

Saturday 27th March 2021, 4pm – 7pm

Welcome to all those interested in the garden project, their friends and families. Come along for a picnic in the gardens to celebrate the end of summer and work done to date. Bring your own drink and food to share, plates, utensils etc (our BBQ will be available). The thermette will also be in action for hot drinks. We look forward to seeing you there. Everyone welcome.

Community Garden Picnic Read More »

Bookbinding Workshop, Mana Arts Society

Saturday 27 March 2021, 9am-3.30 pm (ical)
Venue:
Mana Arts Centre, Plimmerton Domain
Tutor: Anna Nelson
Cost: $35 for members, $65 for non-members

Enjoy a day of creativity and learn to make an A6 book to keep or give as a gift. You will leave with enough knowledge to create a work on your own in future. Some materials required, see Mana Arts Society website or Facebook page for more details.

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