An east Auckland charity that supports at-risk children has sold its property as its buildings are leaky and need replacing.
As the Times recently reported, a property developer is proposing to build more than 90 residential units on a 1.4 hectare block of land in Pigeon Mountain Road near Half Moon Bay Marina.
The site’s Auckland Council property valuation, as of June 2021, was $24 million.
It’s a short distance from the marina and borders Pigeon Mountain Road, Ara Tai, and Compass Point Way.
A resource consent application for the development project states it entails construction of 92 terraced units across 26 blocks on the corner section.
The property is presently occupied by the Stand for Children charity, which provides a wraparound service for at-risk children.
Dr Fiona Inkpen is the organisation’s chief executive.
She says it’s a nationwide organisation focused on ensuring children and families are safe, recover from past trauma, reconnect with each other, and together ensure a positive future.
“We provide services that meet an important need for effective childhood trauma recovery and building family resilience in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland),” Inkpen says.
“The buildings of our Children’s Village and regional office in Half Moon Bay in Auckland are leaky buildings, out of warranty and need replacing.
“Some time ago our board made the decision to sell the property in Half Moon Bay and we will be relocating our services in 2025.”
Inkpen says ease of access is a “big factor” when dealing with issues of safety and the complex needs of children and families.
“Our new facility planned for Manukau will give Stand Tu Maia (Stand for Children) the chance to better meet the needs of our communities, collaborate more closely with our partners, and if needed, expand services further.
“Critical to our planning is to provide continuity of service during the relocation.
“Until we relocate, it is business as usual and all children and families currently working with Stand Tu Maia will continue to receive services.”
Inkpen says new referrals to the organisation continue to be welcomed.
“When we make the move in 2025, we will ensure we provide continuity of services for all tamariki (children), mokopuna (grandchildren) and whanau (families) engaged in Stand Tu Maia services, or on our waitlist.”
The proposed development’s resource consent application states all buildings and parking areas presently on the land will be demolished to make way for the residential units.
Each unit is allocated at least one parking space within or in close proximity to it.
Dwellings in nine of the blocks are allocated two parking spaces “with a variety of uncovered parking spaces, and internally-accessed garages”.
A pre-application meeting was held with the council in December last year.
That resulted in a change from the development having two vehicle access points, off Pigeon Mountain Road and Compass Point Way, which the council did not support.
The vehicle access point off Pigeon Mountain Road was subsequently removed from the proposal.
The resource consent application is on hold while it awaits further information from the applicant.
