Board to consider urban design plan for Warkworth

The draft Puhinui Warkworth Town Centre Plan will go to a Rodney Local Board meeting this month, before being released for public feedback.

The plan, costing just over $100,000, has been prepared in two stages – Community Think ran an extensive community engagement exercise over about nine months last year and the results have been used by urban design specialists Motu Design who are writing the plan.

The project team said in a statement last year that the Warkworth Town Centre Plan would set the direction for the development of the area and would guide future decisions on place-making projects, public spaces, accessibility and connectivity projects, land use and community projects in and around the town centre and riverfront.

“The goal is a Warkworth town centre that meets the needs of the whole community, nurtures and protects the river, and provides a well-designed, vibrant and attractive place for everybody.”

A local board spokesperson said some of the community feedback received was outside the scope of the centre plan, but was included.

“The report called Community Voices takes a broader look so that anyone in the community can pick it up and use it to support funding applications, community activities, advocacy, and as a reminder of what has been said for any future work.”

The report essentially formed a community wish list. People had asked for things like a community stage, community composting, a cinema, food court, youth spaces, an education centre and a swimming pool. There were also calls for night markets, e-scooter hire, art classes and free rides on the Jane Gifford.

The need for a town centre plan was outlined in Rodney Local Board’s 2020 three-year plan and it was also a priority for One Mahurangi Business Association.

The Puhinui Warkworth Community report can be read with this story online.