Improving safety and accessibility on Laurie Southwick Parade, Gulf Harbour, Whangaparaoa

About the project

We’re improving footpath safety and accessibility on Laurie Southwick Parade in Gulf Harbour to provide safe, convenient and well-connected walking in your community.

The current footpath ends near 621 Laurie Southwick Parade. This footpath connection will enable residents to safely and easily walk to the bridge which connects Laguna Place and Balboa Drive to the residential areas within the local neighbourhood.

This is part of our Walking Programme which commits to encourage safe walking in your neighbourhood by extending the existing footpath in this area to make it safer and easier for people to walk around.

The changes we're making in July/August 2026

• Installing a new footpath on the northern side from the bridge where it connects to Balboa Drive & Laguna Place to the existing footpath at 621 Laurie Southwick Parade.
• Install a new refuge crossing near 595 Laurie Southwick Parade with tactile pavers, and remove the drop curve near the end of the existing footpath to improve accessibility.
• Install new boardwalk through a section of the existing tree area on the Laurie Southwick Parade to enhance the walking experience and avoid damage to the trees along this section of the footpath.

• Trim or remove some trees to clear access and increase the visibility for oncoming traffic and people using the footpath.

• Flatten the grass mound area next to the footbridge to enhance safety by the Balboa Drive & Laguna Place to Laurie Southwick Parade footbridge.

• Installing no stopping at all times (broken yellow lines) outside 621 Laurie Southwick Parade with around 22 car parking spaces removal. This ensures that motorists have better visibility by preventing parked vehicles from blocking their line of sight.

Benefits to your community

• Footpaths make it safer for the community by separating motorists and traffic from people on foot.

• Well-maintained footpaths are safer for people who walk and ride their bikes and scooters, reducing the risk of being hurt or injured.

• More footpaths increase connectivity and make it easier and stress-free for the community to move around the neighbourhood, offering better connections to schools, parks, public transport and other local amenities.

• Walking and cycling are good for the environment and good for your health. It helps reduce reliance on cars for local trips, decreasing traffic congestion and reducing Improves visibility for drivers to see oncoming cars, people walking, cycling and crossing the road - making the street safer for everyone.

  
  

  
  

What happens next

How to contact us

If you’d like to discuss our plans, share what you know about your area or let us know if there’s anything we’ve missed, email us at ATEngagement@at.govt.nz or leave us a comment on our website by 10 April 2026.