152 Kepa Road
Some whānau may have heard the news that this week, an independent panel has approved the consent application for McDonald’s to build a new restaurant at 152 Kepa Rd, despite strong community opposition , including a submission by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust.
This is McDonald’s second application in the last two years for this site. The first was withdrawn after the community and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust opposed it, and a new application was lodged for community feedback at the end of 2024.
Beginning in February, the panel considered hundreds of written submissions against the restaurant, including from the Trust, and held in-person hearings earlier in May where Trust Chair Marama Royal represented Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Our main reasons for opposing the restaurant were:
- The increased traffic caused by the drive-thru restaurant, in an area where many of our tamariki walk to and from school.
- The risk of increased anti-social behaviour in the area caused by having a fast-food restaurant that’s open 24/7.
- Increased fast-food rubbish, and how that will impact on our native nursery and māra kai at the Pourewa Reserve.
- The general lack of amenity that a fast-food restaurant, with unhealthy kai, will bring to our neighbourhood and community.
Under the Resource Management Act, the reasons the panel could decline the application were limited, and ultimately, they decided there was not enough evidence to do so. Submitters have 15 working days to consider whether they will lodge an appeal through the Environment Court.
The panel has applied some conditions to the consent – Trust staff and the Board will be evaluating the impact of those in the coming days. We will keep whānau posted on those discussions.
