Council buys $16m Karaka site for new South Auckland cemetery
A rural Karaka site is set to be developed into a new cemetery, accommodating the growing demand for burial space over the next several decades.
Amid ongoing concerns about the capacity of South Auckland’s existing cemetery network, Auckland Council has bought two properties on Linwood Rd and Biddick Rd for $16 million.
Around 100 hectares at Te Hihi, near Karaka, will be developed in the multi-stage project, with planning beginning later this year.
Franklin Ward councillor Andy Baker said finding a suitable site for the new cemetery had been “a challenging and lengthy process”.
“South Auckland requires more cemetery capacity to meet the needs of this fast-growing part of the region,” he said.
“The land meets the criteria for a cemetery and this is a sensible and timely acquisition by the council, with appropriate cemetery land in Auckland being hard to find.”
The purchase was made despite the objections of local iwi Ngāti Tamaoho and the Franklin Local Board.
Ngāti Tamaoho raised concerns on cultural grounds, while the local board brought up issues around land use, rural amenity, road safety and the site’s proximity to the local school.
Waikumete Cemetery is one of the city's three hub cemeteries. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
General manager of parks and community facilities, Taryn Crewe, said the community, mana whenua and stakeholders will continue to have a role throughout the consenting and design phases of the project.
“We have signalled that our development process will include significant opportunities for our stakeholders and community to provide input.”
She said developing the site would be a multi-decade project, similar to the staged development of Auckland’s three other hub cemeteries.
“What’s really important is that we’ve secured a large piece of land that gives lots of scope for creating a very special place of remembrance for many, many decades to come.
“The land acquisition at Te Hihi is the first step in putting in place a new cemetery that will help meet long-term demand for the South Auckland community.”
Auckland Council owns and operates 53 cemeteries across the region, including the three hubs: Manukau Memorial Gardens, North Shore Memorial Park and Waikumete Cemetery.
The network already covers 300 hectares of land.
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
Get the iHeart App
Get more of the radio, music and podcasts you love with the FREE iHeart app. Scan the QR code to download now.
Download from the app stores
Stream unlimited music, thousands of radio stations and podcasts all in one app. iHeart is easy to use and all FREE
