Hi everyone, as you know a developer has lodged a non-notified consent with Auckland Council to remove the trees and build over 30 low cost houses.

The following text can be cut and pasted into an email, and sent to the consent planner at Auckland Council, to request that the consent be notified due to significant public interest

matt.brajkovich@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Here are the terms of the notified hearing we are requesting that you can copy and paste into your own letter: 

"On November 17 2020, Auckland Council received a subdivision consent and a resource consent application for 32 terrace houses for the sites at 52-58 Canal Road, Avondale ("Canal Road Resource Consent Application”).

This is a request that this application be publicly notified under section 95(A) Public notification of consent applications of the Resource Management Act 1991 ("RMA”).

It is being made on the grounds that: An application for a resource consent must be publicly notified where special circumstances exist that warrant the application being publicly notified." 

Please address your submission as follows;

Attn:  Matt Brajkovich the planner for Auckland council. Email address matt.brajkovich@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. 

Please also cc your submission to the chair of the Whau Board  "Kay Thomas (Whau Local Board)"  kay.thomas@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz 
And to anyone else who you think should be informed of your concerns. 
For example: Carmel Sepuloni Carmel Sepuloni <carmel.sepuloni@parliament.govt.nz
The Minister in charge of Kāinga Ora Megan.Woods@parliament.govt.nz  <Megan.Woods@parliament.govt.nz

Below here are some extra talking points that may be helpful if you don’t live directly in the area.

*Significant public interest points to use:
·       There is an Aukat Rahui on this site, placed by Mana Whenua to protect these trees, which needs to be respected.
·       Avondale locals welcome new residents to their housing intensified suburb. However they insist that their community’s social wellbeing can only be guaranteed with the establishment of a decent green recreational infrastructure, currently lacking. 
·       Biodiversity and preservation of endangered species are essential to combat the climate emergency so the preservation of all the canopy natives, including rare Native cedars and Black Maire at the Canal Road arboretum, should be an environmental priority. 
·       The Canal Road site is an irreplaceable nesting and rest stop for migratory birds crossing the east-west "wild link" between the Waitemata and Manukau harbours.
·       Recurring droughts in Tamaki Makaurau, caused by the climate emergency, will mean planting replacement sapling trees elsewhere is not a substitute for these fully grown specimens, which have hundreds of years of mature growth ahead of them.
·       Saving these trees will help support the Urban Ngahere policy of Council, which is intended to preserve a healthy green environmental balance with nature in our city.
·       The story of the historic planting of these trees in Avondale has significant Tiriti o Waitangi bicultural heritage value for all the people of Tamaki Makaurau.