Est. 1972
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa goes back to school Page 3
A NAME YOU CAN TRUST! Thursday, October 20, 2016
Vol 45, No 41
General 271 8000 ■ Classified 271 8055 ■ Delivery Enquiries 271 8014 ■ Website www.times.co.nz
Works coming along on new pier
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Piling foundations for the new Half Moon Bay ferry wharf are complete. The Downer construction team will now move on to installing the marine foundation and the pontoon. The fitting out of the wharf and the installation of the permanent concrete deck will start from this week. Auckland Transport says the new pier will give more shelter to passengers and will have storage for bikes. It is due to open in early 2017.
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Vacant site revived By MARIANNE KELLY
A
three-hectare site in residential Bucklands Beach, blighted by years of controversy, is about to head into happier days with plans to establish a boutique retirement village. Last May BeGroup New Zealand purchased the Thurston Place property from the Whenua Haumi Roroa o Tamaki Makaurau Limited Partnership which acquired it in August 2015 from the Ministry of Education under the Right of First Refusal (RFR) provisions of the Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014. The site formerly housed the Waimokoia residential school which was closed in 2009. It then became the focus of fierce resident resistance when, in 2010, the Ministry of Education proposed to build a secondary day college for children in CYF (Child, Youth
and Family) care. “We instantly saw value in the site for what we do and pulled out all stops to secure it,” says Guy Eady, BeGroup’s managing director. “Our research showed there were not a lot of options [for retirement] on the peninsula. “From a demographic point of view we believe the market needs a retirement facility. For anyone who lives on the peninsula and wants to stay here, there are limited choices.” BeGroup operates The Falls Estate in Whangarei and is currently developing Rawhiti Estate on the site of the former Rawhiti Bowling Club in Remuera. It’s currently applying for resource consent for the Half Moon Bay development. Stage one will involve 60 independent living apartments and associated communal areas including a heated indoor swimming pool. The rest of the site will be devel-
oped for more retirement apartments, a rest home, hospital, and memory loss care unit. The company hopes to make a start on stage one in the second half of next year and anticipates an 18 month to two-year build. The total cost of all stages is anticipated to be more than $100 million. Consultation with the local community has started, the company’s chief property officer and Cockle Bay resident, Brett Meyer says. “We had a meeting with the Pigeon Mountain Primary School board,” he says. “The school is a direct neighbour and we’ve agreed to continue to allow for a school off-loading place on the Thurston Place site but it will be controlled so that it’s a safe drop-off place for children and parents.” The company had its first meeting with immediate surrounding
neighbours three weeks ago. “We introduced ourselves to them and told them of our intentions for the site,” Mr Meyer says. “We are committed to keeping them informed as we continue to come up with concepts.” The aim is to have the residential apartments replicate the appearance of a sequence of detached houses on several levels, but all connected on the lower level. Mr Eady says the philosophy is to create an asset for the community, “a place where elderly people can congregate and live, where a lot of people will want to visit them. It will be a special place.” Currently members of the public use the site as an access linking with walkways to the Half Moon Bay ferry and BeGroup hopes to incorporate a “controlled access” walkway into the village design.
Having trouble with your arthritic hips or knees? Mr Gary French, Ormiston Orthopaedics, is now an Affiliated Provider to Southern Cross Health Society. If you are a Southern Cross member and you need surgery for a hip or knee replacement, there are significant advantages for you: • You will get clear prices upfront • We will organise prior approval through Southern Cross for you • We will manage your claim for you • If you are on a shared cover plan we can let you know, before surgery, what your share of the costs will be Ormiston Orthopaedics is located in the new purpose-built Ormiston Hospital, 125 Ormiston Road, Botany Junction. It is easily accessible for those in greater Auckland with free parking available. To compare our prices or arrange an appointment phone 09 252 0370 or visit:
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➤ Turn to Page 8
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