Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council Animal Management staff arrived to work at the Manukau Animal Shelter this morning to find a plastic container filled with 20 puppies at the front gate.

The abandoned puppies, from two different litters, are believed to be between four to eight weeks old.

Another nine puppies of around the same age were found in Clendon Park in Manurewa yesterday, bring the total of abandoned puppies in Auckland to 29 in 24 hours.

The discovery comes at a time when the council’s Animal Management staff are already under huge pressure, due to a significant increase in Auckland’s dog population following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officers have responded to more than 33,000 complaints and cared for 6,600 impounded dogs in the last financial year – up 32 per cent from the previous year.

James Hassell, Auckland Council’s General Manager of Licensing & Regulatory Compliance, urges owners who are struggling to look after their dog to take proactive measures before the problem gets worse.

“Get your dog desexed – that’s the only way we are going to get on top of this problem of having too many dogs in our region. This is the worst 24-hours we’ve ever had [for abandoned puppies].”

“Any behaviour involving animal abandonment is heart-breaking and it places a huge toll on our Animal Management team, who are already working to capacity. Incidents like this are the last thing anyone wants to find when they turn up for work in the morning.”

“We’re all relieved that at least they’ll be looked after during the most difficult weekend of the year for many dogs – over Guy Fawkes.”

Today’s sad discovery provides several important reminders to all pet owners:

• De-sex your dog. Auckland Council is currently offering free de-sexing for registered dogs, classified as menacing in the following suburbs:
• Manurewa, Ōtara, Papakura, Māngere, Māngere East, Papatoetoe, Pukekohe, Henderson, Massey, Mount Wellington, and Ōtāhuhu. Email FreeDesex@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. 
• Keep your dog contained until de-sexed.
• If you are struggling to manage your dog, talk to your vet, an animal management officer or an animal behaviour specialist.
• If you find a roaming dog, abandoned puppies or a dog acting aggressively, retreat to a safe place and contact our Auckland Council call centre on 09 301 0101 to report this.

Source: Auckland Council

Mayor Wayne Brown has today announced the appointment of Phil Wilson as Auckland Council’s new Chief Executive.

“It is Phil’s depth of knowledge of the politics of local government and how the council works that makes him the right candidate.

“Appointing from within the council’s executive does not mean business as usual. His long association with the council, in both organisational leadership and political office roles, forms a solid foundation for making the type of change needed to deliver for Aucklanders.

“I was elected as Mayor on a platform for change and I am confident Phil has the right skills and attitude to deliver.  His experience will be useful in getting a City Deal done with the Government and implementing the rest of my Auckland Manifesto.”

“Auckland Council is in a tough financial situation and needs to build greater trust with the Auckland public.  We have been very clear that this appointment also signals an opportunity for a fresh start, and that Phil will lead the organisation through these challenging times.

“A fine thing about Phil is that he enjoys a great deal of confidence across both the Governing Body and council staff, and that is important to me.

“Working alongside the Governing Body, which includes working closely with my office, will be a priority for Phil as we navigate the Long-term Plan, Auckland’s recovery from this year’s severe weather events, and enabling Auckland to make more decisions about its future,” he says.

Mr Wilson says he’s privileged to have the opportunity to lead the council through such a pivotal time of change and responding to huge challenges facing the Auckland region.

“It is both humbling and reassuring to know I have the confidence and support of the Mayor and Councillors behind me and we’re all in agreement that we need to transform, strengthen and refresh in order to build confidence in the council.

“I’m up for the challenge and am committed working collaboratively across the organisation to achieve the results Auckland demands from us,” says Mr Wilson.

Chief Executive recruitment process

Recruitment for a new Chief Executive began in March 2023, shortly after Jim Stabback’s departure was announced. It was managed by an executive recruitment process through the council’s Performance and Appointments Committee. Candidates were long-listed and interviewed by the Committee, which made its recommendations to the Governing Body.

The Governing Body interviewed the shortlist on Friday 27 October and settled on a preferred candidate.  The four interviewees included local and offshore candidates, from a variety of public sector backgrounds.

Phil Wilson became Acting Chief Executive on 2 July and will officially become Chief Executive on Monday 6 November. His remuneration will be $600,000 per year and his contract period is four years. The previous CE’s remuneration was $630,000.

About Phil Wilson

Phil Wilson joined Auckland Council in 2010 as Chief of Staff in the Mayoral Office and was appointed to his most recent executive role of Director Governance and CCO Partnerships in 2015.  Mr Wilson held senior roles at Manukau City Council, including as General Manager Human Resources and Communications, Chief Advisor and Head of the Chief Executive’s and Mayoral offices.

He has been a board member and chair of Taituarā (Local Government Professionals Aotearoa) and was Acting Group Recovery Manager following this year’s flooding and Cyclone Gabrielle response.

Source: Auckland Council

We have confirmed the process for disputing decisions, to help property owners who want to dispute certain elements of the categorisation and buyout process.

Property owners can dispute:

• the property category they are given
• the market valuation (as at 26 January 2023) to be used in the buy-out offer.

When a dispute is raised, we will first complete an internal review about the decision. The process provides the option to seek a further external review if a property owner is still unhappy with the outcome.

We will provide full details about how to raise a dispute as part of the information we give to property owners when confirming their category.

Source: Auckland Council

During October, our Governing Body (the mayor and councillors) agreed to enter into a $2 billion cost-share arrangement with the government to fund storm recovery and resilience works, including buying out Category 3 homes. They made several policy decisions about categorisation, including how the buy-out scheme will work for Auckland.  

Here’s an overview of the process and answers to some of the common questions we’ve been receiving from property owners. 

A step by step guide to the buy-out process 

There are seven key steps in the buy-out process. 

Step 1. Risk category confirmed 

A detailed risk assessment determines what risk category your property is. If your property has a residential dwelling on it and is confirmed as Category 3, you are eligible for a buy-out offer. Vacant sections are not included in the buy-out scheme.  

You’ll have three months to dispute your property category, or to opt-in to the buy-out process. 

Step 2. Meeting scheduled 

A property advisor and a storm recovery navigator will support you throughout the process. They’ll contact you after categorisation and book an in-person or online meeting with you. The meeting should include all owners of the property, and you’re welcome to invite a support person along too.  

Step 3. Initial homeowner meeting 

At the meeting you’ll have the buy-out process explained in detail, and your questions will be answered.  

You’ll be asked to formally opt-in to the buy-out process. We’ll ask for insurance information, and whether you have any individual circumstances you would like us to consider if you are not insured. If there are any other special circumstances that need to be considered by council, you can share them at this meeting.  

Step 4. Property valuation 

Your property advisor will arrange for one market valuation (as at 26 January 2023) from a registered valuer.  

Auckland Council already has a panel of registered valuers and we’ll be using these firms because they’re already set up and they can quickly start working on valuations. Because of the number of valuations needed, we’ll be using several firms across the region. Where possible the valuers will work in a place-based way to increase the consistency of valuations within a geographic area.  

You can choose to pay for your own registered valuer if you wish. They will need to use the same methodology as the council instructed valuers.  

Having a valuation doesn’t commit you to accepting a buy-out offer. You can opt-out of the process any time up to signing a Sale and Purchase Agreement.  

Step 5. Offer decision 

You’ll be presented with the offer, a copy of Auckland Council’s valuation, and a conditional Sale and Purchase Agreement which sets out the buy-out price (based on the valuation, your insurance and EQC information, and homeowner contribution). 

You’ll have one month to consider the offer from Auckland Council. If you accept the offer, you’ll sign and return the Sale and Purchase Agreement.  

If you do not accept the offer, you can either dispute the valuation via the disputes process, or you can opt-out of the buy-out process. 

Step 6. Settlement 

The Sale and Purchase Agreement will specify the settlement date for the buy-out, which is when the funds will be transferred to you, and the property ownership is transferred to Auckland Council. You’ll need to have moved out and removed everything from the property by the settlement date.  

The settlement date will be negotiable. Some property owners will want a quick settlement, while others may prefer a longer settlement. We know everyone has different situations so your property advisor will work with you to find the date that works best.  

Step 7. Post settlement 

Auckland Council will own your property after settlement. We will be making decisions about what to do next with your property, which may include deconstruction or demolition. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How will I know what to do during the buy-out process? 

We know that selling a home is stressful under normal circumstances, and that the buy-out process may be challenging for you. We’ll assign a property advisor and a storm recovery navigator to support you throughout the process. They’ll be your point of contact and can answer any questions you have along the way.  

They won’t provide advice on whether to accept the buy-out offer though. As with any property transaction, you should seek your own independent legal advice before you sign a Sale and Purchase Agreement.  

What is the buy-out offer? 

A pre-weather event market valuation as at 26 January will be used to determine the starting point for the voluntary buyout offer. Auckland Council will offer 95% of the value of an insured property, less any insurance payout (including EQC). This means that the property owner is making a 5% contribution towards the cost of the buyout. 

For properties that are not insured, we will offer at least 80% of the value of the property (up to 95% – the same basis as an insured property). This means that the property owner is making up to a 20% contribution towards the cost of the payout.  

You can make an application for council to consider your individual circumstances related to your insurance status. In some situations, council may offer you up to 95% (the same amount as for an insured property) if the council considers that it is fair to do so based on individual circumstances relating to your insurance status.  

This could be where there was little or no insurance loss, you couldn’t get insurance at the time of the events due to previous weather events, or you can show a history of paying insurance for the property previously.  Your property advisor or navigator will explain the application process to you. It’s done via an online form (or paper form), and it will take up to 25 working days to receive a decision about your application.   

To summarise, the buy-out offer will be the market valuation at 26 January 2023, LESS the insurance/EQC settlement LESS the homeowner contribution.  

How long will the buy-out process take? 

The timeline will be different for everyone as it depends on your situation. For most homeowners it’s likely to take between three and six months from the initial homeowner meeting to receiving a Sale and Purchase Agreement. This timeline might be longer if there’s a valuation dispute or it takes longer than expected to supply all the required information.  

You’ll have a month to accept or decline the offer.  

What happens if I’m not happy with the market valuation?  

If you’re unhappy with the valuation in your offer you can dispute this, and your property advisor will explain how to do this when you get your offer. There’s a simple online form (paper version available) to fill in to raise a dispute.  

The first step of the dispute process will be a review of the valuation that’s been provided by the registered valuer. This review will be done internally, and the outcome of the review will be notified to you.  

If you’re unhappy with the outcome of the internal review, you can seek a further review through an external panel of property and valuation experts.  

A guidance document with information about the disputes process is included in the Category 3 Homeowner Handbook which is provided to property owners at the time of confirming their Category 3 status.  

Will the council contribute any costs for legal fees or other costs? 

A one-off contribution of $5,000 will be given to Category 3 homeowners towards professional fees, such as legal advice or an alternative valuer/valuation. At the initial homeowner meeting, your property advisor will explain how to claim this contribution.  

Will you consider my special circumstances in the process?  

We know that everyone has very different situations and that in exceptional cases, we may need to depart from our buy-out policy positions where departure in an individual case is consistent with our policy objectives.  

You’ll be able to raise any circumstances relevant to your situation and to submit a special circumstances application if required. Your property advisor or navigator will explain this process. This will be done via an online form (or paper form), and it will take up to 25 working days to receive a decision about your application.   

If you’re dissatisfied with the outcome of your application, you can request to have this decision reviewed. This review will be undertaken by the Chief Executive of Auckland Council. The decision made by the Chief Executive is final and not subject to further dispute resolution processes.  

Special circumstances decisions will be made in line with council’s Guidance on the application of Special Circumstances, which is included in the Category 3 Homeowner Handbook. A copy of this handbook is provided to property owners at the time of confirming their Category 3 status. 

Still got questions? There are further answers to frequently asked questions in our FAQ section.  

Source: Auckland Council

Auckland Council has agreed to provide funding to Category 2P homeowners affected by the severe weather events earlier this year, to help them make the changes needed to reduce the future risk to life at their property.

The decision to fund feasible mitigations for Category 2P properties, which are those where there are options to reduce the future risk from flooding or landslide, was one of several decisions about property risk categorisation made by Auckland Council’s Governing Body.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says the decisions enable more property owners to stay in their homes and communities while minimising demolition and deconstruction waste and associated costs.

“These decisions allow for those who want to stay in their homes and fix them to do so. This acknowledges that many people are deeply connected to their homes and should be able to fix them if it is safe to do so. This also potentially saves Auckland ratepayers money. I see it as a win-win.”

Auckland Council has set the ‘feasible and affordable’ threshold for Category 2P mitigations at a cost of up to 25% of a property’s Capital Value (CV). This means if a home has a CV of one million dollars, mitigations that cost up to $250,000 are considered feasible and the home could be assigned as Category 2P. The mitigation works also need to be delivered within two years.

Deputy Group Recovery Manager, Mace Ward, says the council recognises that for many homeowners, paying for any mitigation work to protect their home from flooding or landslide is out of reach.

“There are two things we need to consider for these mitigations. Firstly, is whether intervention works are technically possible. For example, that means looking at whether there’s enough space to construct a retaining wall, or whether the nature of the house means it can actually be raised.

“The second part to feasibility is whether it’s affordable and if it can be delivered in a reasonable timeframe. Whilst anything is possible if you have enough money, we needed to put a realistic and responsible cap on what could be spent on a mitigation.”

Category 3 confirmation begins for Auckland

The first batch of confirmed property owners were informed this week of their Category 3 property status and have been invited to move into a buy-out conversation with the council.

Mr Ward says the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office is pleased to be able to start giving owners of the worst affected properties some much needed certainty.

“We understand people want certainty so they can confidently make decisions about their future and move forward with their lives. It’s been a challenge for everyone involved as there have been many pieces of the puzzle that needed to be fitted into place, such as the funding arrangements and the technical risk categorisation policy and framework.

“We now have all the details agreed with the Government along with policy settings and we’re very pleased that we can confidently move ahead with the scheme, together with affected home owners.”

Property risk assessments gathering momentum

More than 2100 home owners have voluntarily opted into the categorisation scheme. From these registrations, more than 1300 desktop assessments and 870 site visits have been completed. Around 200 low risk property owners have been identified and already been informed of their Category 1 rating.

Geotechnical and flooding assessments are provided free by the Recovery Office to help impacted residents understand future risk from extreme weather and natural events at their property. Storm-affected property owners can choose to opt-in for the process by completing an online form.

Mr Ward says the Recovery Office is focused on getting assessments completed as quickly as possible. On the geotechnical front, this includes contracting 10 geotechnical suppliers, using over 100 specialist engineers and consultants to collect data for people concerned about unstable slopes near their property.

In the meantime, a free Storm Recovery Navigation Service has been launched as a first port of call for residents affected by the storm. Navigators can help people access the information, services and support they need to plan their recovery. Another 20 community-based navigators will be added in the coming months and affected residents are encouraged to get in touch.

More information on the categorisation process can be found on the Our Auckland recovery page which will be updated regularly.

Source: Auckland Council

Background

Extreme weather in 2023 damaged many homes across Tāmaki Makaurau, and we are working to place properties into three categories, based on a new Government risk framework:

• Category 1– Low risk

• Category 2– Risk can be managed with flood protection or land stabilisation

• Category 3– High risk, house should be removed, and/or not rebuilt

During October, Auckland Council’s Governing Body made a series of key decisions on property categorisation. Decisions were guided by the council’s aim to support Aucklanders to voluntarily relocate from homes where there is a future intolerable risk to life.

We have sought to balance the financial commitments to ensure the policy is affordable for Auckland, while being fair and equitable for all affected homeowners.

WATCH: Category 3 buy-out offer explained

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Category 3 buy-out offer

Auckland Council’s Governing Body agreed on 6 and 26 October 2023 how voluntary Category 3 property buy-out offers will work.

The main decisions were:

• A pre-weather event market valuation as at 26 January 2023 will be used to determine the starting point for the voluntary buy-out offer. The valuation from a registered valuer will be organised and paid for by council.

• We will offer 95% of the value of an insured property, less any insurance payout (including EQC). This means that the property owner is making a 5% contribution towards the cost of the buyout.

• For properties that are not insured, we will offer at least 80%, up to 95% of the value of the property. This means that the property owner is making up to a 20% contribution towards the cost of the payout.

• The council will make a contribution towards professional services (like legal fees) as we recognise you will want to seek your own legal advice. The amount of this contribution, what this can be used for, and when it will be available, will be explained to you as part of the buy-out process. 

• Secondary properties, meaning the owner doesn’t live at the affected address (e.g. holiday homes and residential rental properties) will be eligible for a buy-out. Residential properties owned by the Crown are excluded from the buy-out scheme.

• Vacant sections that do not have a residential dwelling on them are not eligible for a buy-out because the policy’s intent is to remove people from houses where there is a future intolerable risk to life.

Category 2 – affordability of mitigations for 2P

The Auckland Council’s Governing Body also made further policy decisions about the affordability of mitigations for properties that may be 2P, and what funding could be made available to support property owners to do the mitigation work on their property. 

Part of the criteria for a property being 2P has been that mitigations on the property need to be feasible. There are two parts to figuring out if something is feasible:

1. Whether an engineering solution is technically possible. For example, whether there’s enough space to construct a retaining wall, or whether the nature of the house means it can be lifted.

2. Whether it’s affordable and if it can be delivered in a reasonable timeframe. While anything is possible if you have enough money, we needed to put a realistic cap on what could be spent on a mitigation.

The policy that’s been agreed is that mitigation affordability is set at 25% of a property’s CV.

So that means if your home has a CV of $1 million, mitigations that cost up to $250,000 are considered feasible and your home could be assigned a Category 2P. The mitigations also need to be able to be completed within two years. 

The council recognises that funding mitigations to protect a home from flooding or landslide is out of reach financially for many people. Generally, insurance providers won’t cover the cost of works that are designed to reduce future events – insurance is about repairing things when they are damaged.  

As the intent of the council’s policy has always been to reduce future risk to life from extreme weather events, the council has agreed to fund mitigations to 2P properties. How this will work in practice is being worked through.

It’s important to note that if your home is categorised as 2P, there will be financial support – if you need it – to help you make changes to reduce the risk on your property. As a homeowner, you’ll be responsible for getting the work done, but we will provide financial assistance. 

We’ll be going back to the Governing Body with more information about how the 2P service will work in late November, so we’ll be able to share more information about it then. 

Disputes

A dispute resolution process (to dispute your property category and/or the market valuation) will include both an internal review and external/independent review. Details of how to raise a dispute and what you can expect from the process will be provided as part of the information we give to property owners when confirming their category.

What happens next? 

Across the region, risk assessments (both flood-affected, and landslide-affected homes) are underway for properties that have opted into the categorisation process. 

If you want to receive a property categorisation, we will need to complete a risk assessment. If you have not yet registered for a risk assessment process, please complete the Flooding and Landslide Registration form. The information you provide in the form will help us to begin a risk assessment for your property.

Buy-out conversations with confirmed Category 3 property owners have begun this week and these will be ongoing as properties receive confirmation of their category. 

Stay up to date

Sign up to the recovery e-newsletter to get the latest updates direct to your inbox.

Source: Auckland Council

Geotechnical assessments are a free service provided by the Tāmaki Makaurau Recovery Office to help homeowners and the council understand landslide risks. This handy guide gives you a preview of what to expect.

Geotechnical assessments help us to understand if future severe storms are likely to result in a landslide that poses a risk to life, and whether that risk can be managed so it is safe to live in the property. Assessments also consider feasible interventions that can be taken to manage risk. For example, modifications to a property or to the surrounding area to create resilience.

“At its heart, this is about keeping you and your whānau safe when in extreme natural events. Some homes and neighbourhoods may be vulnerable to a future landslide risk that is unacceptably high, and we are doing what we can to keep people out of harm’s way. This includes providing evidence about ground stability so homeowners can make informed decisions about their safety and any property level risk reduction,” says Mace Ward, Deputy Group Recovery Manager.

Complete this online form if you are unsure or concerned about your landslide risk and would like an assessment to confirm the risk category to your home.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a geotechnical risk assessment?
In some cases, it will be obvious that a risk assessment is needed – for example if the weather events this year caused damage. Other properties may not have sustained any or much damage at all, but are located in areas that we suspect may be at risk in future. We recommend you complete this online form to participate in the process.

What information do you collect in the desktop geotechnical assessments?
The desktop assessments involve information collection from property files, photographs, published geological information and LiDAR data to calculate slope angles.

What information do you collect through onsite geotechnical assessments?
The onsite assessments collect information to allow an assessment of the geomorphology (land shape), which informs an assessment of the ground stability at each property. In high-risk locations such as Muriwai there are also below-ground investigations and monitoring to provide detailed information on the locations of geological boundaries that affect slope stability. Where appropriate for the landslide style, engineers have created three-dimensional debris flow modelling for typical scenarios to calculate risk for homeowners.

Is the landslide risk assessment the same as what you would find in other countries?
Yes, the risk assessment follows the procedures outlined in the Australian Geomechanics Society 2007 guidelines, which represent internationally accepted best practice. More information on these procedures is available on the Landslide Risk Management website.

What is the difference between an EQC vs a Recovery Office geotechnical report?
While both assess landslides, an EQC report typically focuses on damage to the insured property. The Recovery Office geotechnical reports assess long term risk to life.

Does the risk equation in the geotechnical report take weather patterns into account?
Yes, we consider the weather patterns that are likely to occur over the next 100 years. This is based on current, previous and future weather predictions. We also consider the likelihood of drought, as that would affect land stability too.

Where can I get more information?
There is more information available with the  Our Auckland landslide and liability story and also the article  Recovery office reaches milestone of 1000 landslide assessments.

I want a flooding assessment how do I make this happen and what can I expect?
You can read more information in this Our Auckland article: Risk assessments for flood affected homes.

Source: Auckland Council

If you are going to build a reservoir to hold 45 million litres of water, you better be a dab hand at concreting.

Howick Local Board members have toured Watercare’s Redoubt Road construction site to check progress on an infrastructure project that will help guarantee an expanding city’s water supply into the future.

The visit follows on from one earlier in the year – Howick members watch reservoir take shape.

Board chair Damian Light says the city’s growth marches on and a huge amount of planning goes on to support that.

The central baffle has slots in its base designed so that water flows in a circular motion through the storage area to prevent stagnation.

“We hear a lot about infrastructure needs, but few of us ever get the chance to get up close and experience it taking shape, so the tour was a chance to understand just how vast the project is.”

Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland is predicted to add a million people to its population over the next 30 years.

“We’ve already seen massive growth in our area, especially in Flat Bush and Ormiston, and we know there’s more expected across the region.

“Continued population growth and greater uncertainty around the future of our climate, means we’ll see a massive increase in the demand for water in our city and we have to be prepared for that,” Light says.

Just pop down to the local hardware store and get a couple of valves please. These American-made shut-off valves cost about $160,000 each.

“Watercare is charged with ensuring that can happen and while it is actively working to make the supply more resilient, you obviously need to have the facilities to store treated water.”

Board member John Spiller says the site already has the capacity to store 120 million litres but adding another reservoir will help future-proof supply.

“The project has involved building and connecting a new reservoir, first by establishing an access road, and now building the reservoir itself – work that is nearing completion.

“Having seen what is involved, the complexity of the operation, and just the huge amount of work that is needed, I don’t think I’ll ever turn on the tap and take water for granted again.”

Filling of the reservoir is planned for early January, although Watercare experts say that may be brought forward to December, so that the holiday period can be used for water-tightness testing.

Source: Auckland Council

The aspirational vision for what will be the first city centre open space of scale in 100 years has been shared with the public.

Over the next ten to fifteen years, as part of the area’s long-term regeneration and aligned to Te Ara Tukutuku Plan, the northern area of award-winning Wynyard Quarter will become one of the most beautiful spaces and waterfront destinations in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Eke Panuku Board Chair Paul Majurey, says:

“We are creating a space that is distinctly Tāmaki Makaurau, and recognisably Aotearoa. This will be a space for everyone.”

Since 2022, Eke Panuku has been co-designing alongside Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau and design collective Toi Waihanga to develop the Te Ara Tukutuku vision.  

The vision is to reconnect people with Te Waitematā and build connection between people and place. Five of the ten hectares will become a thriving foreshore for the land to reconnect to the sea, bringing Tangaroa (god of the sea) and Papatūānuku (earth mother) together again. Restoring and enhancing the mauri of the moana (sea) and the whenua (land) is at the centre of this vision.

The space will acknowledge the original foreshore and lost headlands that used to be located at the bottom of the city and offer interesting land formations and views across Tāmaki Makaurau. A spatial framework has been developed that identifies eight zones within the space that are unique in the world and distinctly Tāmaki Makaurau. The preliminary ideas for the zones include intertidal rock-pools, safe access to the water for waka and people, and civic space for community and cultural activities.

Mayor Wayne Brown says:

“Aucklanders have experienced the transformation of their inner-city waterfront opening it up from former port-related uses to become a world-class destination. Sharing the vision for this area is another significant milestone for the waterfront’s transformation and an example of the great regeneration work progressing around our city. I look forward to eventually progressing this to the East and in the future being able to swim near the end of Queen Street.”

Waitematā and Gulf Ward Councillor, Mike Lee (and former chair of the legacy Auckland Regional Council) says:

“In 2005 Aucklanders agreed that Wynyard Point should become waterfront public open space. The reclamation was built by hardworking Aucklanders 100 years ago, so it is gratifying to know that at last, it is being transformed into an iconic waterfront park for Aucklanders of the 21st century. It will be especially valuable for inner city residents, but also for people from across the Auckland region.”

Eke Panuku Waterfront Priority Location Director, Fiona Knox says:

“It is exciting to see years of planning translate into a more detailed framework for this space that reflects our rich cultural past, as well as consideration for the needs and interests of future generations. Although Te Ara Tukutuku Plan and process will take time, it is so important to get it right, so we create a lasting legacy for Tāmaki Makaurau.”

Ngā Iwi Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau representative, Martin Te Moni of iwi Ngaati Whanaunga says:

“What we want to do is regenerate this space, look at how can we give back to not only the whenua (land) but also to the moana (Te Waitematā), give back some of the mauri (life force) that was taken and how do we do that?”

Work is already underway

Before any development can take place, remediation needs to be completed. We are approaching this through a process of Tāmata te Mauri, Tārai, Pōhutukawa (Heal, Form and Cultivate).

Healing the whenua (land) and moana (sea) is already underway. It begins by remediating this contaminated and reclaimed former petro-chemical site to regenerate the land and restore the ecology from the site’s previous uses, towards enhancing the mauri (life essence) of the area.

Share your thoughts on Te Ara Tukutuku vision

As part of this early engagement on the project, we’re keen to hear what people think about Te Ara Tukutuku vision. We’d like to hear how you’d like to experience the space, what you might like to learn, and how you’d like to help shape this space for the future?

Share your thoughts on the vision here and read more about the project on Eke Panuku’s website here. Your thoughts will help inform the concept designs for the space to be shared in Autumn 2024.

We welcome you on this journey and will continue to share opportunities for engagement as the regeneration planning and designs develop. 

Source: Auckland Council

The environment and water quality in the Devonport-Takapuna area are two major focus points in the local board’s plan for the next three years. 

The 2023 Devonport-Takapuna Local board plan, now formally adopted by the board following public consultation in July, is the key document guiding the board’s decision making for the next three years.  

Key themes that came through in the consultation included a greater consideration of senior, youth and disabled populations, local food security, community safety, and increased support for arts, sports, and recreation.  

While there were mixed feelings from submitters around the idea of a targeted rate to help fund a new library and community hub in Takapuna’s Waiwharariki Anzac square, the majority supported the plan’s climate and environmental initiatives. 

“We are told time and time again in every consultation that the environment and water quality are front of mind for all of you and we share this feeling.” says local board chair Toni van Tonder.

Van Tonder explains that, as the board anticipates reduced budgets in future, they are focusing on how its money is spent to get the most benefit to the most people, whilst still reaching and engaging with a rapidly changing population.

“We will continue to apply a future-generations lens, focusing on making decisions that have long-term benefits for those who stand to inherit our place. We believe that by investing in the priorities outlined in this plan we will be able to create a more resilient and sustainable community that can withstand future challenges whilst still working towards the vision we hold. 

“Thank you to those who have contributed to this plan with your feedback through consultations, attending business meetings or simply taking the time to reach out to board members. We appreciate you sharing your knowledge and aspirations for the area to shape our plan so we can get the most out of the next three years.”  

All of Auckland’s 21 local boards are legally required to produce a plan every three years, establishing a set of priorities. 
 
Devonport-Takapuna Local board priorities are:   

 
 You can find the final plan here.