Creating future connections in Onehunga.
Eke Panuku is leading this project to support the growing population, local businesses and ensure a thriving town centre.
Waiapu Precinct
Waiapu is a key precinct in the middle of Onehunga’s town centre. Integrated with the Te Pumanawa o Onehunga precinct immediately to the south and the Dress Smart precinct to the east, the Waiapu Precinct will be transformed to provide a more inviting and walking-friendly town centre for Onehunga. Currently the precinct contains a mix of commercial buildings, a commercial mini-golf facility and St Peters Anglican Church, but is heavily dominated by carparks.
Back in 2020, we asked the local community for their ideas and views on how to transform council land in the Waiapu Precinct. This feedback helped shape the concept design that we then consulted on in early 2024. Thanks to everyone who gave feedback during the public consultation. The Maungakiekie-Tamaki Local Board then subsequently approved the design, enabling Eke Panuku to work towards the construction phase.
The transformation for this area will see new green spaces, a public plaza, a family play space, and safer walking connections. The precinct will see residential housing developments blocks for providing new homes, along with a new supermarket, with changes to parking and the road layout in the area as a result.
We have partnered with mana whenua on a set of Māori design principles, to ensure Onehunga’s rich history, natural treasures and strong community identity is visually celebrated in the Precinct’s development.
The overall design includes:
- A new family play space catering for all ages, abilities, and preferences.
- A new sheltered pavilion.
- Planting to complement existing trees, offering adequate shade in summer.
- Improved walking connections between the Woolworths supermarket, Onehunga Mall and Paynes Lane through to Dress Smart.
- Improved walking connections from Onehunga Primary School to the Onehunga Library.
- Changes to car parking, which will occur over a staggered period of time.
New supermarket
In late 2024, Woolworths entered into a conditional agreement with Eke Panuku to bring a state-of-the-art supermarket to the Onehunga town centre, as part of the regeneration of the Waiapu Precinct.
The store will be much larger than the current store and will offer the full Woolworths product range. The new store will include an undercover car park, Direct to Boot facility for picking up online orders, and a small number of retail tenancies to further add to the community amenities. They anticipate that the new store will bring at least 30 new jobs to the area.
The Trident Tavern, which on the site of the new supermarket, will be deconstructed in late 2024 as plans for the new supermarket progress. The Tavern is home to some special rugby league jerseys and Woolworths are proud to be preserving the collection and will be looking to incorporate them into the new store.
Key timeline
Onehunga High-Level Project Plan
March 2017
Identifying Waiapu Precinct as a key area for development approved by Auckland Council Planning Committee
Consultation summary 2024
We received a total of 201 survey forms with 97% submitted by individuals and 3% by businesses/organisations.
We analysed and categorized the feedback gathered into the following key themes which will be considered by the Design Team in the next stage of design:
- Play
- Safety and security
- Amenities
- Access and Parking
- Trees and planting
- Unwelcoming space due to maintenance and cleanliness issues
- Social problems and antisocial behaviour within the Precinct
Other themes raised that are not part of this project and will be considered in future projects or require wider discussions with other agencies include:
- Safety concerns at the intersection of Arthur St and Selwyn St: This concern has been raised with Auckland Transport, who are currently investigating possible solutions to improve this intersection.
- Social problems and antisocial behaviour within the wider town centre: Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Report (CPTED) is part of the design. Long-term solutions for these issues require a collaborative approach across government agencies, council family, community groups, and the community.
Waiapu Precinct Public Consultation Feedback Report (1.09 MB) (pdf)
Consultation summary 2020
In the 2020 community consultation, we collected feedback on key themes such as:
- Improved safety
- Better connectivity
- More green space
- Car parking
- Quality housing
- An upgraded supermarket.
Based on this feedback, we created plans which address these themes alongside private investment such as:
- The Dress Smart retail expansion
- A proposed new and much larger supermarket which will ensure a diverse range of retail options for locals.
We have also worked closely with mana whenua on the design of the public spaces to celebrate mana whenua korero (the voice of the land) and history in Onehunga.
Construction timing
The project will take number of years to complete and will be staged in a way to minimise disruption.
Q & A
How long will these changes take?
The project construction will be staged to occur over the next five-plus years. Initially the works will be focused on infrastructure ground works, which will require the temporary removal of some parking, and the construction of the play space. There will then be changes to the roading layout which will also see changes to car parking. The last stage will be around the five potential development sites for new homes within the precinct, subject to market demand.
Do you own all the land shown in these plans?
Eke Panuku, Auckland Council and Auckland Transport own most of the land in the Waiapu Precinct block bounded by Arthur Street, Selwyn Street, Church Street and Onehunga Mall. The masterplan, which guides the development of the precinct, requires some future property acquisitions to support the development plan. The owners of these properties are aware of the desired acquisition and are part of this process.
What’s happening to the Enchanted Forest mini golf?
The Enchanted Forest is a commercial business operating on a site leased from Auckland Council. The tenant is aware that the site is planned for future development and have been kept them informed of the proposed timing of the future redevelopment of the site.
Why are you bringing more housing to the town centre?
For Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to meet its housing challenges, more housing is needed closer to the things people want and need, like shops, cafés, schools, and transport options. Onehunga has good access to existing services and public transport networks and can grow ‘upwards’ to make the best use of this existing infrastructure and great town centre location. More people living in the town centre will also create more activity for local businesses that isn’t dependent on car parking availability.
Why is the car parking changing?
Car parking will remain an important part of how people access the precinct and the wider town centre, but to enable the transformation of the area into a safer, more welcoming space for people, there will have to be some changes. The changes are necessary to accommodate the new supermarket and to provide more convenient access for visitors to local businesses on Onehunga Mall and the library.
As part of the precinct development, we’re working closely with a supermarket operator on a new supermarket development which will provide underground car parks for supermarket customers. By moving these car parks under the supermarket, it will allow for space for the creation of public green spaces and improved walking connections. Public car parks in the area will still be retained in lesser numbers, with a focus on mobility car parks and loading zone parking.
Other projects in Onehunga
- Onehunga
- In Progress
- Sustainability
Food Scraps Trial in Onehunga
01/12/2024
- Onehunga
- In Progress
- Urban regeneration
Art Walks Onehunga
01/12/2024
- Onehunga
- In Progress