The Rodney Local Board is currently deciding whether or not they should support the sale of council owned property carpark at 14 Baxter Street in Warkworth (opposite New World).

The site was originally acquired by Rodney District Council in 2002 for a proposed community centre development that never went ahead. The Finance and Performance Committee deferred a decision regarding the potential sale of the property in 2017, pending further consideration by the Rodney Local Board. Since then, the local board has received further advice and discussed the issues through a number of workshops. Key issues include

• the current poor and deteriorating condition of parts of the building, which will require remedial work with significant cost to council
• desire from the local board to continue to ensure car parking for Warkworth town centre.

However, being co-owned by three other organisations - Westpac, New World and the Masonic Lodge - arrangements while trying to figure out what to do with the property are complicated. 

The property at 14 Baxter Street is a non-service asset, i.e., it doesn’t provide a council service which means council is unable to allocate budget towards the management and renewal costs associated with the building.

In 2017, the Rodney Local Board resolved against the sale of the car park, noting its importance for town centre and commuter parking and to meet future proposed growth in and around Warkworth. The local board also noted that it wasn’t satisfied with Auckland Transport’s assessment that there is adequate car parking in the town centre.

In 2020, the local board made it clear that it wasn’t prepared to fund further remedial work on the car park. 

Staff have recently had initial discussions with each of the other three property owners regarding the current condition of the building and their preferences for the future. Each of the owners has differing considerations, aspirations, and constraints but are open to further discussions.