Less car parking for Glen Eden?

Less car parking in Glen Eden?

The Glen Eden Town Centre Plan held quite a surprise at the recent Waitakere Ranges Local Board meeting (Thursday, September 28). The six-page document contained a reference to disposing of council property. A Board member requested clarification regarding the reference to a ‘disposal council property’, asking is it this one, meaning the WRLB Glen Eden office. Council staff replied with a convoluted curtain of words, but in short answered, yes and part of the car park outside (presumably sections 39 and 41 in accompanying photos). Included in this lengthy response was mention of satisfying housing needs, releasing funds and that age-old classic, that selling the land doesn’t mean the land is going anywhere. I strongly disagree, when land is sold control goes to the new owner. And where does the money go, often in unwise spending, or in this case down a big funnel straight to the Auckland CBD.

Included in the staffer’s response, was mention of involvement by Council’s Development Arm, Panuku Developments. I hold grave concerns regarding Panuku Developments real agenda, I believe this Council department’s name is constructively misleading, Panuku Real Estate would better reflect their activities. Everywhere they go stuff gets sold, in many cases it is presented as making better use of Council assets, but it also liquidates Council assets and reduces Operational Expenses. A classic manoeuvre by an organisation that is wasting so much that its money is running out. Councillor Hulse reaffirmed our Super City’s deficit when she reminded everyone that Auckland Council is facing a $10 billion hole over the next 10 years.

Glen Eden began as a service centre for residents of the adjacent Waitakere Ranges and foothills areas and these people still play a big part in the prosperity of Glen Eden Township. Keeping and improving their patronage is a key to a rejuvenation for Glen Eden. And these people are going to come to town in their cars because convenient public transport is not financially viable in the widely spread and disjointed Waitakere’s. Selling this Council land will rob Glen Eden of future options of all sorts. Maybe people will come in electric cars, so who will provide charging station parking, not Council if they sell their car park.