Thanks for the feedback

First of all, thank you to all of you who took the time to share their thoughts and dreams for Mangere East. Hundreds of locals shared their feedback through postcards, surveys and by speaking directly to the Mangere Family Services team on their doorstep or through one of six local engagement events.

HERE’S WHAT YOU TOLD US

There are four key themes in your feedback.

You support upgrades to parks.

One of our key plans is to ensure parks, reserves and other public spaces always have good visibility from the street and from neighbouring homes. This gives them a community feel and allows those in the park to feel safer. We’ve identified Yates Park as one of the first parks that could benefit from upgrades. We will work with Auckland Council, mana whenua and the local community to identify design options that will see Yates Park feel more open safer and accessible for all.

You are concerned about parking and traffic.

Parking and traffic was raised in nearly every conversation. As part of our planning we have identified areas where we can create new streets, and where we can improve existing crossings, connection roads and pedestrians, cyclist, and vehicle access.

 You’d like a community youth hub.

You feel there is a lack of facilities for the youth in the area. While a youth hub was not a specific initiative in our initial plans, as we progress we’ll look out for opportunities to incorporate more youth facilities in our community spaces.

 You feel sad about losing neighbourly connections.

Many of you feel a sense of sadness that change may mean the potential loss of neighbours. Your connections to the local area, and people, is deep so it’s understandable that you’d worry that change may see some of these connections lost.

Kāinga Ora has a ‘Choice to Return’ policy for all our state housing customers. This means that if you, or your neighbours, are relocated as part of our development work, and would like to return to your current community, we will do all we can to make it happen. 

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

We are in the early stages of the planning and design phase of a process that takes about two years before we see physical works starting. From your initial feedback, we’ll develop more detailed plans and designs, engage with the community again to see what they think, refine the design and then go through the consenting process.

And of course the effects of the flooding earlier this year has delayed our progress. The recent I AM Māngere Street Chats let us hear from locals on the stormwater issues, ensuring their voices are included in our planning.

We are working closely with our partners (Auckland Council, Watercare) to understand the important mahi needed to ensure resilient stormwater pipes, drains and other key infrastructure are part of our plans.