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Ongoing development in Drury continues to provide more places to live, but Franklin shouldn’t become a sprawling suburb with little local infrastructure or workplaces.
The simply titled Auckland Deal, between Auckland Council and central government, should ensure Drury has what it needs to ease its growing pains, Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop expects.
“In Drury, government and council will work with private developers on coordinated infrastructure planning to support major housing growth, including new schools and a hospital alongside local infrastructure investment.”
Auckland mayor, and Franklin property owner, Wayne Brown agrees that integrated planning is vital.
“We must build where we have already invested significantly in infrastructure, and not in flood plains. We must provide housing near where people work,” he says.
“We can’t just build anywhere a developer wants to build. Council has been clear greenfields developments are costly and don’t pay for growth, so I’m pleased we will be able to work with the government to determine where growth makes the most sense.”
In addition to Drury, and Franklin in general, the deal covers the entire city, focusing on boosting economic growth and improving living standards.
“This is a new way of working that establishes shared accountability, recognising the size and significance of Auckland,” Brown says. “The deal better reflects Auckland’s contribution to the national economy. It’s clear [that] when Auckland does well, New Zealand does well.” Some projects covered in the deal are already well underway, Bishop says.
“The new, world-class convention centre is now up and running, we are liberalising Eden Park’s planning rules so it can host more concerts and events, and we are launching an investigation into planning rules holding Auckland’s CBD back.”
A revitalisation plan will encourage more housing and business growth, including further residential upzoning and the potential for a new primary school.
Auckland Airport will also benefit through a plan to improve transport access to this major trade, freight and employment hub, says Bishop.
“When it comes to infrastructure, the Central Interceptor Project [a large scale wastewater pipeline] will be finished this year, the third main line separating freight from passenger rail is now open, funding has been confirmed to complete the Eastern Busway, the line to Pukekohe has been electrified and the City Rail Link will open later this year.”
Further projects representing thousands of jobs and billions in investment have been granted Fast-Track consent legislation, Bishop says.
Various organisations – including the NZ Transport Authority (NZTA), Urban Growth Partnerships – and Crown funding for significant projects all enable a more efficient working relationship, he asserts.
“This deal isn’t about reinventing the wheel and creating another layer of bureaucracy, it’s about coordinating across government into one place so that it’s easier to work together and invest together to get stuff done.”
The deal also has the seal of approval from Auckland Minister Simon Watts and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Auckland has huge potential for growth from which the whole country can benefit from, Luxon adds.
“Auckland is New Zealand’s economic engine room. This deal is about getting that engine room firing on all cylinders so that we can lift incomes, create more jobs and make Auckland, and therefore New Zealand, more prosperous.”
Key commitments of the Auckland Deal include:
• Reviewing Eden Park’s ownership and operating model
• Redevelopment and roofing of the Auckland Tennis
Centre
• Developing a strategy for innovation precincts in areas such as the Fisher and Paykel precinct and the University of Auckland’s innovation centre in Newmarket
• Developing a destination and major events strategy to grow tourism, events, and hospitality
• Establishing a coordinated 30-year transport strategy with priority projects including the North-West Rapid Transit project, Botany to Airport public transport, Mill Road, and City Rail Link (CRL) level crossings
• An additional Waitemata Harbour crossing project, time-of-use charging and more efficient transport network management
• A new funding tool for high-priority projects. The Crown will consider contributing funding to projects where council has already raised new funding significantly
• Predator Free 2050, Pest-Free Auckland, the Auckland Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy, and restoring the biodiversity of the Hauraki Gulf
