As noted in a prior post, we view the the Orakei Bay Village (OBV) retail development with mixed feelings.
The retail businesses in the Orakei Bay Village have breathed new life and energy into what was formerly an unsightly collection of old buildings on the Orakei Bay site.
But this benefit comes with a disadvantage: in our view, the developer has not adequately provided for parking and traffic movement to support the Orakei Bay Village complex. The result: at peak times, vehicles turning in and out of the OBV’s parking lots significantly slow traffic flows along Orakei Road between the Shore/Orakei and Orakei/Ngapipi traffic circles.
Not all shops at OBV are yet fully on-stream, so matters could get worse.
We recently objected to a liquor license application by a new tenant at OBV on the grounds that it would add to the traffic problem. But in fairness we’ve since pulled back: It is the developer – and Auckland Council – who need to address traffic flows to and from OBV as a matter of urgency.