Flaxmere, it's your time!

Hastings District Council (HDC) is exploring options for the development of land on the western side of Flaxmere town centre and we want you to have your say on its future use. The land in question is located between Caernarvon Drive to the west and the current driveway to the pools, library and community centre.

In addition to new housing, other possible uses could include government agencies, tertiary education facilities, health centres and offices.

Town Centre Map

The subject land (as shown in the map above) is divided into two blocks. Under the current District Plan the northern half of the northern/larger residential block is zoned commercial, with the remaining part of that block, as well as the southern block, being zoned residential.

Three development options have been prepared. All options envisage the subdivision of the larger/northern block into two smaller blocks with the northern-most block covering the commercially zoned area. This creates three development block in total.

Click on the tiles below to view the key features of each option or click here to view the full urban design report as prepared for Hastings District Council.

Option 1 - All three blocks developed for residential uses with supporting open spaces.

Western and southern sides of the southern block and western side of the middle block developed with stand-alone houses (1 or 2 storeys).
Eastern side of the southern and middle blocks developed with 2 storey duplex houses (2 or 3+ bedrooms, 3m side yards) and free-standing garages located along and accessed via a rear lane. This will retain all street parking along the new north-south link road.
The northern block is subdivided by an internal vehicle lane providing vehicle access and carparking to the proposed units.
Northern block - the south/east and western parts of the block accommodate two clusters of apartment blocks + associated shared spaces and parking. The south/east cluster is comprised of 5 apartment blocks (three of which are envisaged to be 3-storey high with the remaining two being 2-storeys). The western cluster is comprised of 4 apartment blocks (one of which is 3-storey high with the remaining apartment blocks being two-storeys). The 3-storey blocks are envisaged around the street corners.
The northern part of the northern block accommodates 2-storey duplex houses (3+ bedrooms) with integrated garages accessed via the internal vehicle lane.
Local open space with children’s playground envisaged at the north/east corner of the southern block. Alternatively, the open space can be replaced with another duplex if priority is given to maximising the number of residential units.
Total number of housing units as shown on attached plan - 80 units (16 stand-alone, 20 in duplexes, and 44 apartment units). Note that the total number of units can be increased by an alternative approach where the stand-alone houses are replaced by duplex or terrace houses or are developed in rows linked by garages.
Each housing unit provided with a ground-level private open space (typically at the rear of the lot) with good orientation/good sunlight access or a balcony for the upper level apartment units. Apartment units supported by shared open spaces.
Each unit provided with at least one on-site carpark either in the form of a garage or open parking for the apartment blocks. Except for the apartment blocks, the remaining units typically allow for a second on-site carpark space.
The use of rear lanes in the middle and southern blocks allows for maximising on-street parking along the new north-south link road.

Option 2 - The northern block developed for commercial uses + some open space, with the other two blocks developed for residential use.

Northern block - commercial uses.
Middle and southern block developed for residential. This option does not include high density/apartment blocks.
Western and southern sides of the southern block and western side of the middle block developed with stand-alone houses (1 or 2 storeys).
Eastern side of the southern block developed with 2 storey duplex houses (3+ bedrooms, 3m side yards) and integrated garages accessed from the new north-south link road.
Eastern side of middle block developed with terrace houses (3 groups of 3) with free-standing garages located along and accessed via a rear lane. This will retain street parking along this section of the new north-south link road.
Northern block - developed for commercial uses with integrated mid-block parking. Smaller scale tenancies with individual entrances facing the street are envisaged at the south/eastern part of the block. This option explores the possibility for a small mid-block open space. The total building footprint area for commercial uses as shown on the plan is approximately 6000m².
Total number of housing units as shown on the attached plan - 31units (16 stand-alone and 6 in duplexes). Note that the total number of units can be increased by an alternative approach where the stand-alone houses are replaced by duplex houses or are developed in groups linked by garages.
Each housing unit provided with a ground-level private open space (typically at the rear of the lot) with good orientation/good sunlight access.
Each unit provided with at least one on-site carpark either in the form of a garage or open parking for the apartment blocks. The majority of the units typically allow for a second on-site carpark space.

Option 3 - The northern-most block accommodates both commercial as well as some residential uses, with the other two blocks developed for residential + supporting open spaces.

Option 3 combines elements of Options 1 and 2, with the middle and southern blocks developed for residential (as per Option 1) and the northern blocks including commercial (two-thirds of the block and one-third residential).
Western and southern sides of the southern block and western side of the middle block developed with stand-alone houses (1 or 2 storeys).
Eastern side of the southern and middle blocks developed with 2 storey duplex houses (2 or 3+ bedrooms, 3m side yards) and free-standing garages located along and accessed via a rear lane. This will retain all street parking along the new north-south link road.
Northern block - the south/eastern and north-eastern parts of the block accommodate commercial uses and a mid-block carpark.
The western part of the northern block accommodates a cluster comprised of 4 apartment blocks + associated carparking and shared open space. The northern-most apartment block, located at the street corner, is 3-storey high with the remaining apartment blocks being 2-storeys.
The total building footprint area for commercial uses in the northern block as shown on the plan is approximately 3010m².
Local open space with children’s playground envisaged at the north/east corner of the southern block. Alternatively, the open space can be replaced with another duplex if priority is given to maximising the number of residential units.
Total number of housing units - 48 units (16 stand-alone, 14 in duplexes, and 18 apartment units). Note that the total number of units can be increased by an alternative approach where the stand-alone houses are replaced by duplex houses or are developed in groups linked by garages.
Each housing unit provided with a ground-level private open space (typically at the rear of the lot) with good orientation/good sunlight access or a balcony for the upper level apartment units. Apartment units supported by shared open spaces.
Each unit provided with at least one on-site carpark either in the form of a garage or open parking for the apartment blocks. Except for the apartment blocks, the remaining units typically allow for a second on-site carpark space.
The use of rear lanes in the middle and southern blocks allows for maximising on-street parking along the new north-south link road.

Consultation closed

31 October 2020, 12:00pm

Join us for an information session at the Flaxmere Community Centre on Saturday October 10, from 10am-1pm to have your say on the proposals.

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