We all know Grey Lynners love a good coffee, but just how many cafes do we really need? The new owners of 311 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, have put in a resource consent application to Auckland Council to develop a 60-seat licensed café and coffee roastery on the site currently occupied by The Little Grocer. The site is zoned Residential 1, single dwelling, (this status is retained under the Unitary plan), and is surrounded by family homes.
A cottage-industry style “corner store” or diary has served the community from the front few rooms of the residential villa on the site for nearly 100 years. Most recently, the lovely Alia of The Little Grocer has continued this tradition on a scale that is loved by locals in the area.
We struggle to see how a 60-seat café could safely operate on the site, which is on the dangerous intersection of Richmond Road, Kingsley Street and Peel Street. It could also set a precedent for “commercial creep” into other residential areas of Richmond Road, if granted. Needless to say, local residents are concerned and have called for community consultation before any decision is made by Council.
Ponsonby News has provided some great background on this issue here (http://greylynnresidents.org.nz/s/Screen-shot-2014-04-08-at-214500.png) or here (http://issuu.com/ponsonbynews/docs/ponsonbynewsmay14highres4web). For more info, keep an eye on this website or contact jessicafowler@slingshot.co.nz.
