Auckland Council unveils plan for downtown
The council, which predicts 45,000 people will be living in the city centre by 2032, has placed emphasis on reconnecting the waterfront with the city to make it more liveable
Hot Topic
DEALMAKERS
Auckland Council's city centre integration team has today unveiled a framework for the city's waterfront.
The document is to be delivered to the council's development team tomorrow morning, and outlines the principles of how more than 40 capital projects within the area will connect with each other. (See report attached)
The council, which predicts 45,000 people will live in the city centre by 2032, has placed emphasis on reconnecting the waterfront with the city to make it more liveable.
It has released images suggesting changes such as shared spaces on lower Queen Street and Quay Street to make the water more accessible.
One of the key projects in the Downtown area is the development by NZX-listed Precinct Properties [NZX:PCT] , which has struck a deal with the council to redevelop what is now Westfield Downtown Mall.
Tomorrow the council will receive a report from Auckland Council built environment manager Tim Watts on potentially selling Queen Elizabeth Square to the developers. The report recommends the sale of the square to Precinct.
While former owner Westfield had a resource consent for a 41 storey tower, Mr Watts confirmed Precinct would be reapplying for resource consent but that it was looking at a 36 storey tower . It also has plans for three storeys of retail space. Mr Watts' report says the scheme is expected to be completed in 2017.
Auckland Council design champion Ludo Campbell-Reid told media Queen Elizabeth Square was a compromised site due to the shade from HSBC Tower. He said it was not commercially viable to take down the tower, so the best option woud be to take the money from the sale to create better public spaces closer to the wharves, which captured more sunlight.
One option for better public spaces on the wharves includes a revamp of Admiralty Steps (see picture), to the east of Queen's wharf.
The council is also looking at other changes to the wharves, and outlined several possibilities including buying parts of the wharves from Ports of Auckland or extending them outward. City Centre integration manager Rick Walden said cruise ships were getting longer and Auckland had to accommodate this. A Ferry basin development (pictured) is a further option being considered by council.
Victoria Young
Wed, 10 Sep 2014
Wed, 10 Sep 2014
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Auckland Council unveils plan for downtown
41241