Flat Bush

rdf:langString Flat Bush

rdf:langString Flat Bush

rdf:langString Botany

rdf:langString Cable-stayed bridge on Ormiston Road

rdf:langString Flat Bush (also known as Ormiston) is a suburb in Auckland, and is New Zealand's largest and most comprehensively planned new town, taking shape on 1700 hectares in south east Auckland. An Auckland Council transformation project, Flat Bush had over 34,000 people by 2021, a similar population to Nelson, and includes five neighbourhood centres. Located near Manukau Heights the council has planned for the area to undergo substantial development since buying 290 hectares there in 1996. While most of Flat Bush is being developed by the private sector, Auckland Council is guiding the overall development of the area to ensure people, places and the environment are given emphasis.The suburb contains the 94 hectare "Barry Curtis Park", named in recognition of Manukau's longest standing mayor, Barry Curtis, with a development programme stretching into the 2020s. A neighbouring 20 hectare town centre was planned to be developed starting in 2010, with the development rights taken over by Todd Property in 2010. Building of houses has started next to Barry Curtis Park as of 2012. More land in the area is going to be developed over the next few years by Todd Property Group. After years of planning in 2018, Flat Bush in south-east Auckland is getting its long-awaited town centre at Ormiston in a $200 million scheme now under construction. The newest shopping centre, Ormiston Town Centre, was officially opened to the public on 25 March 2021, offers supermarket, gyms, a department store, food and beverage, and a mix of health and beauty and speciality services, including ASB, Unichem Pharmacy, 2Degrees and SnapFitness plus a variety of other stores will expect to open. New Zealand's first cable-stayed bridge, on Ormiston Road, runs through the middle of Barry Curtis Park, which is to be the green centre piece of the new town. The bridge was opened in October 2008. The city centre has started ground works Feb-Mar 2013 that was stalled due to the Global Financial Crisis since bridge completion. In 2018, Panuku Development Auckland, the council's property management CCO, was involved in construction of a new mall in conjunction with Todd Property. Nearby, 700 homes are being built by the partnership. Flat Bush gets its name from early settlers who named the area from the odd flat bush that characterised it, especially when viewed from the surrounding mountains.