{"id":18490,"date":"2025-03-19T14:59:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T04:59:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=18490"},"modified":"2025-03-19T14:59:33","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T04:59:33","slug":"developer-takes-auckland-council-to-court-over-mass-timber-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/developer-takes-auckland-council-to-court-over-mass-timber-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Developer Takes Auckland Council to Court Over Mass Timber Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A developer with NZ $800m-plus in assets will appeal to the Environmental Court after plans for an 11-storey timber building – poised to become NZ’s largest commercial timber building – were rejected by the Auckland city council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It comes after the council’s independent commissioners rejected a building covenant covering the 11-storey timber scheme – lodged by James Kirkpatrick Group at 538 and 582 Karahgahape Rd (colloquially known as K-Rd) on February 7 – over concerns around the size and scale of the development and its impact on the surrounding area.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lodged with the council in June, the scheme design statement said the building is part of a push to “regenerate the site from a demolished, end-of-lift building into a robust and legible urban structure that can stand for the next 50 years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time James Kirkpatrick Jnr, the group CEO and Managing Director, said the building would rise ten levels from the Karangahape Rd elevation, have around 9500sq m of office space with two levels of basement for 48 car parks and “encourage a high-quality tenant in line with some of the green initiatives required for their businesses or their clients”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wood Central understands that the building was to target a 6 Star Green Star rating, like the $200m University of Auckland’s Social Sciences building, which opened last year<\/a>, with Kirkpatrick turning to mass timber as an alternative to concrete, reducing emissions and the weight of the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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James Kirkpatrick Group plans this office block at 538 Karangahape Rd. (Image Credit: resource consent application)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, mass timber buildings have become “green magnets” for tenants<\/a>, with Fitzpatrick now looking to attract tenants in the creative industries who have signed up to the Paris Agreement or Kyoto Protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That might align with a highly visible brand in a creative environment that’s reflected to ensure their staff are in the best offices available,” he told the New Zealand Herald in June<\/a>, adding that “we see this as a valuable addition to the Auckland and K Rd streetscape.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is an opportunity to regenerate the Ponsonby end of K Rd with retail and hospitality at street level on K Rd, Gundry St and Abbey St, along with nine levels of office overhead. We hope a development of this scale being consented can alleviate some concerns in the construction industry for future works,” Mr Kirkpatrick said, adding that if approved, it will become NZ’s largest commercial tower – matching HomeGround’s award-winning 11-storey building for Te T\u0101pui Atawhai, Auckland City Mission<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new building will match the award-winning HomeGround development for height, which in 2022 was awarded the Gold Medal by the New Zealand Institute of Architects.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Internationally acclaimed architect Fearon Hay was commissioned to design the timber structure, with renders showing a saw-tooth roof topping the glazed block. According to the architects, this glazed ridgeline will be easily viewable across the city, with the building acting as a new gateway connecting the western entrance to the K-Rd precinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Auckland’s growing timber skyline<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Subject to court proceeding, the new building is part of a growing number of mass timber buildings rising in downtown Auckland. Beyond the University of Auckland’s Social Sciences building and HomeGround, Evergreen Modular Building is working with KiwiBuild to produce mid-rise housing projects on Auckland’s outskirts.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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