This is a response to Chris Penk’s latest Facebook post regarding the Waimauku West Fast Track Application. Chris Penk has also posted the same image on Instagram.
What is Chris Penk telling our electorate?
The reason for Chris’ statement was a meeting with 2 Waimauku Community Association members, a respected local Hydrogeologist and a Civil Project Manager, both with sound Fast Track project experience. They raised our concerns around stormwater, congestion, and lack of infrastructure for this development.
Our main concern: Stormwater from large rain events would bypass retention devices sized under the Auckland Council Stormwater Development Guidelines for 10-year AEP events and discharge directly into the Kaipara River. During such times the river would already be in flood and the development’s stormwater would exacerbate the flooding both downstream to Helensville and upstream into Kumeū.
We asked Chris to support our opposition to Waimauku West and to escalate our concerns to Chris Bishop who signed the referral to Fast Track in the first place.
Chris Penk keeps telling us he’s “not the decision maker”. All he is suggesting he will do is “craft a well worded statement”, but that is simply too little too late.
Waimauku West needs to be pulled from Fast Track so council can consider it in the wider context of planning, infrastructure and flood concerns.
The referral for this development does not meet a single requirement for referral to Fast Track and that’s not just our opinion: Auckland Council requested the referral be declined.
Chris Penk is the Associate Minister of Emergency Response and the Minister for Building and Construction. Most importantly, he is our local MP!
The electorate chose him to represent our best interests. He should deeply care about the Waimauku West. We need our local MP to take a stand!
If you agree, please join our 500+ members and help us meet our goal:
#StopWaimaukuWest