Nine To Noon Fast track approval for housing development - on a flood plain
Mar 17, 2026
Richard Hills, Auckland councillor and planning chair, explains council limits, infrastructure risks and long-term costs. Kelvin Hyatt, Papakura community chair, raises local flood, drainage and transport worries. They focus on floodplain hazards, missing water and stormwater services, transport pressures and climate-related insurance and safety concerns.
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Fast‑Track Approval Despite Floodplain Risks
- The Sunfield masterplanned community near Ardmore was fast‑track approved despite being on a flood plain.
- The proposal is for ~4,000 homes, town centre, retirement villages and 26 hectares of parks, with concerns about stormwater and infrastructure raised by Auckland agencies.
Papakura Will Be The Receiving Suburb
- Kelvin Hyatt describes Papakura as the downstream receiving community for flood runoff from the Sunfield site.
- He explains the area sits on peat and extra hard surfaces will overload drainage so floodwaters will travel down Papakura Stream into local suburbs.
No Existing Utilities Or Transport On Site
- The Sunfield site currently lacks basic urban infrastructure: no treated water, no sewer, no stormwater systems and no transport links.
- Kelvin warns the development would shift infrastructure burdens onto neighbouring suburbs already planning services.