An early, and highly successful, residential intensification project in Tauranga

Latitude Apartments is a celebrated example of medium-rise residential apartment living on the fringe of the Tauranga city centre. It is a considered a benchmark for high-density residential living and has acted as a catalyst for other apartment typology developments. The development comprises 27 apartments across six levels with basement car parking.

Latitude Apartments are located at the northern tip of the Te Papa Peninsula, which has a rich cultural history. A collaborative working relationship with local iwi Ngai Tamarawhao ensured that cultural considerations were taken into account and celebrated as part of the planning and design process. This resulted in the successful incorporation of cultural design elements into the building.

Client

TYBI Limited

Location

Bay of Plenty

Worked with

Ignite Architects
BCD Civil, Geotechnical & Structural Engineering
Traffic Design Group
Design Acoustics
S&L Consultants
Veros
Ngai Tamarawaho
Ken Phillips, Archaeologist)

Project date

2015 - 2020

Boffa Miskell provided strategic planning advice, including advice in relation to consenting strategy and consenting risk. We were also asked to provide an assessment of landscape and visual effects due to the protrusion of the proposed development through the permitted building height.

The consenting phase preceded changes in national policy direction, which encourage residential intensification in appropriate locations. The planning framework at the time didn't provide significant support for a proposal of the nature and scale sought for Latitude Apartments. The resource consent applications were processed on a notified basis. Consultation and engagement with key stakeholders and identified affected parties was key.

Our role included planning, landscape planning and landscape design services. Additionally, Digital Services provided GIS mapping and graphic documentation to support technical reporting and ultimately the resource consent application(s), which enabled Latitude Apartments to be built.

Expert planning and landscape planning evidence at the Council hearing contributed towards a successful outcome, that being the grant of resource consents as sought with fair and reasonable conditions.

While not envisaged at the time, Latitude Apartments is now referred to in a number of documents as a good example of inner city living.