A vision for the next three decades of development within Howick Village is being put into writing in a Howick Village Centre plan sponsored by the Howick Local Board.
The plan, which is currently being drafted and will need local board approval before going ahead for public consultation, has been “on the board’s wish list for quite a while” said local board member Adele White.
The new proposal was formed late last year in light of a growing need for a structured plan to take Howick Village forward.
It’s not about changing the village, or taking away from the character and historic elements of the village, said Mrs White, but about offering locals and visitors the best of what Howick Village has to offer.
More than 200 individual pieces of feedback were received through Howick market visits, concept boards, ShapeAuckland website and the Howick Village Centre Plan email address.
It outlines four key concepts that have been developed based on initial feedback – a desire to see Howick as a green village, an accessible village, a character village and a community village.
Suggestions include planting more community gardens, building a wharf at Howick Beach, further development of historic walks that tell the story of Howick and embracing the role of the Village as an arts and culture hub.
The draft plan will be presented to the Howick Local Board this coming Monday, and upon board approval the plan will be open for public consultation from March 27 to May 5.
The final centre plan will be adopted by the Howick Local Board in June 2017.
Centre plans are non-statutory documents that provide strategic guidance and potential projects and actions to improve the centre. They do not contain any specific rules controlling development.
