The Green Space Deficit
By international standards, Auckland is relatively well-provisioned with parks - but this broad average masks significant regional disparities. The Whau Ward, for example, falls well below the citywide average in terms of accessible green space.
​The map below shows the 2.52 hectares of green space currently accounted for in our area. This includes both the Avondale Racecourse and the Ministry of Education-owned section of Eastdale Reserve. If the racecourse is lost to housing development - and if future intensification forces Rosebank School to expand into Eastdale Reserve - the picture for our community becomes bleak.
Green Space and Mental Health: A Proven Link
There is well-established evidence showing a strong connection between access to green space and improved mental health.
​
One Auckland-based study examined over 3,000 small-area units and found that proximity to usable green space (within ~3 km) was linked to significantly lower rates of anxiety and mood disorder treatments. The benefits came not only from physically using the space but also from simply being able to see green areas within the neighbourhood.
In the midst of a national mental health crisis, we must ask: Can we afford to lose one of the last remaining green lungs in our increasingly dense suburb?
What People Really Want from Urban Planning
​
Recent research in Aotearoa New Zealand found that the two most valued urban amenities are local green space and local shops. A national survey of nearly 1,500 people revealed that easy access to nature isn't just a planning ideal - it's a top public priority.
​
The findings support the growing global interest in 15-minute cities, where residents can access key services within a short walk, cycle, or micro-mobility trip. Importantly, the study found that people are generally unwilling to travel more than 20 minutes - even by car - to reach their preferred amenity. Once that threshold is crossed, many are simply less likely to go at all.
​
If the Avondale Racecourse is lost to housing, our community risks falling further behind in meeting these public preferences - and reducing access to the green space people clearly want and need.