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Massey North / Westgate

The Massey North/Westgate area is poised to become one of Waitakere City’s key new town centres. Westgate has so far been one of the most commercially successful developments in Waitakere City. The centre is located on the edge of the North Western Motorway (State Highway 16) and Hobsonville Road (State Highway 18), which has made it very accessible. It has many useful services and community facilities including the Massey library, community centre, retail services, medical services, cinemas and entertainment.

History Business, industry and jobs
What’s Happening Now? Housing
The Future Westgate town centre, employment, residential areas More information
Improved transport infrastructure Massey Link: Connecting the Community

Westgate Shopping

History

Up until the 1960s, Massey was a rural area with very few houses. The development of the North Western Motorway and improved local roads led to a significant growth in Massey’s population from 1966 to 1981.  There was a lot of residential subdivision, especially in Massey and Royal Heights.  West Harbour to the north of Royal Road was also developed as the city sprawled towards the city limits.
The Westgate shopping centre was opened in 1998, and in undeveloped areas residential development continued to appear. Some of this new housing is ‘medium density’, a different style to that of the older traditional housing subdivisions nearby.

 

What’s Happening Now?

The Westgate centre and Massey North is set to become a major bustling centre for people living in Massey, West Harbour and other areas nearby. There will be regular public transport, with express buses to Auckland City. It’s expected the population of the Massey North and existing Westgate area will rise to 8000 by 2021. Employment opportunities in the existing and future city centre area and industrial developments expected to the north will provide for 7200 new jobs or more. These changes will see the area become a comprehensively planned town centre that will provide a full range of opportunities for work, living and recreation.

The expansion of Massey and Westgate (Plan Change 15)

The area is close to the edge of the Metropolitan Urban Limit (MUL) that defines the edge of the city. Waitakere City has applied for the limit of the urban area here to be extended in order for existing shopping centre to redevelop into a major regional centre with a full range of services that will benefit an area the size of Massey.  It is important for this to happen to create more opportunity for people to work locally. It will provide more local services for the fast-growing north of the City, as well as more places to live.

This extension of the city to the North of the existing shopping centre has been proposed through the District Plan Change 15.

Massey Matters

The existing Massey is also part of an innovative plan to revitalise the city’s older areas. In the “old Massey”, the council is working alongside the local community and other partners to develop a programme for long term, community driven, sustainable neighbourhood renewal and development in the Massey area.

The suburb has been selected for attention following a survey that identified the need to bolster services for the 21,000 residents in the area. Almost ninety percent of  the residents surveyed ‘agreed or strongly agreed’ that Massey was a good place to live. However, the vast majority felt that ‘outsiders’ would not share that view. Residents, community groups, businesses, schools and other organisations are working with the council to develop a long-term plan for Massey.

The survey findings of more than 400 people are now being implemented – Building Community in Massey – Our Place, Our People.

Wesgate Housing

Massey Link: Connecting The Community

There is a concern that pedestrians are crossing the motorway illegally and this resulted in a death in 2005. That has prompted a comprehensive look at the best and safest ways to get local people around their neighbourhood.

Various options are outlined here and we now want your feedback.


 

The future Westgate Town Centre, employment and residential areas

The outlined growth area (Plan Change 15) covers around 160 hectares of land to the north of Hobsonville Road. It is opposite the existing Westgate shopping centre and is located between the existing State Highway 16 and where a new route has been designated for the motorway to run north towards Kumeu.

The current plans will provide opportunities for businesses capable of providing around 4,500 jobs and residential areas catering for over 4,000 people.

Massey North and Westgate fall into the Northern Strategic Growth Area (NORSGA). District Plan changes were drafted in 2005. Submissions and further submissions on the proposed changes closed in December 2005. A hearing process is in the hands of the Auckland Regional Council. It is expected that final decisions from this process will be made in 2007, after which the plan change can become operative if there is no appeal.

Artists Impression
An artist impression of the future town centre

 

Improved Transport Infrastructure

The new Massey North/Westgate town centre will also have a public transport hub for buses and a park and ride facility open to everyone.

There are major plans for new motorways in the area. A motorway-to-motorway connection between a new Upper Harbour motorway and the North-Western Motorway at Westgate will be built. This new north western motorway link will create an alternative route between Auckland City and the Northshore through West Auckland. Once completed this will provide an alternative route to the current SH18 which connects Waitakere City with North Shore City and passes through the developing residential areas of Greenhithe and Hobsonville.

An extension of the North-Western Motorway to Brigham Creek Road towards Kumeu is also being planned.

You can check the Opus website for updates on timelines and progress of the motorway project.

As more people will be living and working in and around the new town centre close by, the new public transport infrastructure and improved bus services will provide a better option for people to travel easily between Westgate, Kumeu, Hobsonville, Henderson, Auckland City and North Shore city. More people using public transport can help improve the service and also cut down on traffic congestion.

Motorway

 

Business, Industry and Jobs

Conveniently located close to the future town centre, flood land is available for an employment area near to the motorway. This area could provide employment for around 4500 people, who will be within walking distance of the town centre. These nearby industries and the people working there will support the economic viability of the town centre.

 

Housing

Other areas in and around the new Massey North/Westgate town centre and the industrial area have been ear marked for more housing. The intention is that this housing is located close to the new town centre, so that people can easily walk to shopping, entertainment, and leisure facilities.

 

Other relevant information
 

There are a number of planning documents and agreements covering this area.  They include:


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