AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

11 August 2006

Resource consent to redevelop Eden Park lodged

Auckland City has received a resource consent application for the redevelopment of Eden Park.

The council is this weekend publicly notifying the resource consent, which means that members of the public and other interested parties can make submissions on the proposal.

The resource consent application seeks to increase the capacity of Eden Park to cater for 60,000 spectators for the Rugby World Cup in 2011.

Among other things, the application proposes:

- a new three-tier South Stand, replacing the existing South and South West Stands

- creating a new three-tier East Stand, to replace the existing terraces

- an internal concourse around the ground

- new toilet, corporate and food outlet facilities

- lights incorporated under the South Stand roof

- removing the perimeter fence

- new operating conditions for a redeveloped stadium

- operating conditions for the demolition and construction period

- specific operating conditions for Rugby World Cup 2011 and Cricket World Cup 2015.

Auckland City project manager for Regulatory Services, Graeme Michie, says the application is a significant one.

“This is a large and long-term project and we have publicly notified it so that members of the public can have their say on the proposal.

“We’d encourage those with an interest in the project to make a submission because these will inform the decision-making of the commissioners who consider the matter.”

The council has sent letters to more than 6,000 residents living in the vicinity of Eden Park to directly notify them of the resource consent.

A panel of independent hearing commissioners will be appointed and they will consider the resource consent application at a hearing later in the year.

Mr Michie says numerous issues will have to be addressed during the hearing. These include:

- impacts on properties surrounding Eden Park

- an assessment of noise, shadow, and light impacts

- an assessment of design, including heritage issues and visual amenity values

- implications for traffic, including a traffic management plan

- an assessment of demolition and construction impacts

- conditions to be imposed on the consent should it be granted.

The council’s Urban Design Panel has reviewed the concept design for the redevelopment of Eden Park and the commissioners will also be provided with this information.

For the first time, the council is publishing all information relating to a resource consent application on its website. The information can be found at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/edenpark from Friday, 11 August. Members of the public are also able make online submissions via this site.

The plans can also be viewed at the council’s service centre at 35 Graham Street, the Mt Albert Community Library at 84 St Lukes Road, Mt Albert and at the Central City Library at 44 - 48 Lorne Street in the city.

The council will be accepting submissions between 14 August and 8 September.

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Questions and Answers
Eden Park Resource Consent Application

11 August 2006

Q: What does the resource consent application propose?

A: The resource consent application from the Eden Park Trust Board aims to increase the capacity of Eden Park from 45,000 spectators to 60,000 spectators.

It proposes:
- creating a new three-tier South Stand to replace the existing old South and South West Stands
- creating a new three-tier East Stand
- developing an internal concourse around the ground
- building new toilet, corporate and food outlet facilities
- altering the lighting arrangements
- removing the perimeter fence
- new operating conditions for a redeveloped Eden Park
- operating conditions during the demolition and construction period
- specific operating conditions for Rugby World Cup 2011 and Cricket World Cup 2015

Eden Park already has a resource consent to demolish the Panasonic Stand and replace it with an extension to the ASB Stand.

Q: Will members of the public be able to have their say on the proposals?

A: Yes. Auckland City has publicly notified the resource consent, which means that it is accepting submissions on the proposals until 8 September.

More than 6,000 people who live in the vicinity of Eden Park have been sent a letter advising them that the resource consent application has been received and informing them of the process by which they can make submissions.

A public notice has also been placed in the council newspaper, City Scene, to let people know that the application has been received and to advise them on how and where they can make submissions.

Given the national significance of the redevelopment of Eden Park, the council has also invited the Crown to make a submission on the resource consent application.

All submissions made will inform the decision-making process on the resource consent.

Q: Where can members of the public view the resource consent application?

A: For the first time, Auckland City has a full resource consent application available for viewing on its website at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/edenpark.

People can also view the application at Auckland City’s service centre at 35 Graham Street, Auckland city; the Mt Albert Library, 84 St Lukes Road, Mt Albert and the Central City Library, 44 to 48 Lorne Street, Auckland city.

Q: How do I make a submission?

A: People can make submissions online at www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/edenpark. People can also download a submission form from this web page.

They can also call 379 2020 and ask for a submission form to be sent to them.

Q: Who will make the decision on the resource consent application to redevelop Eden Park?

A: A panel of independent hearing commissioners will be appointed to consider the resource consent application.

The commissioners have not yet been appointed, but Auckland City has a pool of independent commissioners from which to draw.

The commissioners are people who have experience from areas such as planning, engineering, architecture, roading, infrastructure and law.

They are paid for the time they spend considering resource consent or planning applications, but they are not employees of Auckland City.

They will be guided in their decision-making by Auckland City’s District Plan and by relevant legislation such as the Resource Management Act.

Q: Is there any involvement from Government in the process?

A: Yes. Given the national significance of the redevelopment of Eden Park, the council has invited the Minister for the Environment to appoint a commissioner to the panel that will consider the resource consent application. The Crown has also been invited to make a submission on the consent application.

The Minister for the Environment also has the power to intervene in the process if he sees fit. The Minister can:
- rule that the matter be decided by a Board of Inquiry or the Environment Court
- make a submission on behalf of the Crown
- appoint a project coordinator to support the consenting authority (council)
- direct that a joint hearing is held to consider the consent
- appoint a commissioner to sit on the hearing panel

At this point, the council has not heard whether the Minister for the Environment wants to take any of these actions.

Q: What sorts of things will the panel of commissioners take into account in making their decision?

A: The following issues will be among those considered by the commissioners:
- the size and bulk of the proposed development
- the urban design qualities of the development
- any heritage implications
- landscaping issues
- adverse effects on neighbouring properties, including noise, shadow and light
- impacts on the surrounding environment
- demolition and construction impacts
- traffic implications, including a traffic management plan

The Eden Park redevelopment has also been considered by the council’s Urban Design Panel.

The commissioners can also set conditions on the resource consent if they grant approval.

Q: What is permitted on the Eden Park site under Auckland City’s District Plan?

A: Eden Park is zoned under Auckland City’s District Plan as Open Space 5, which means there is a concept plan in place for the site detailing specific planning controls.

The Eden Park concept plan allows for the following as permitted activities:
- structures can be built to a height limit of up to 40m above the playing field as long as they do not cast a shadow on surrounding neighbours
- development of structures on the current building platform
- use of artificial lighting
- noise levels of up to 85 dBA between 8am and 10.30pm
- crowds of up to 50,000 people

The concept plan was developed in the early 1990s and the Eden Park Trust Board has indicated that it may no longer be appropriate for the scale and type of events it anticipates hosting in the coming years.

Q: When will a decision be made on the resource consent?

A: A hearing to consider the resource consent application is likely to be held in November, with a decision by December 2006.

Q: Can that decision be appealed?

A: Yes. The applicant or anyone who makes a submission on the proposal is entitled to appeal the decision of the commissioners. An appellant has 20 working days from the release of the commissioners’ decision to lodge an appeal with the Environment Court.

Q: Will there be any change to the planning rules for Eden Park?

A: The Eden Park Trust Board has indicated that it would like to see a change to the planning rules for Eden Park.

This would have to be done by way of a plan change which would be publicly notified, open to public submissions and considered by independent commissioners.

Q: When does the council expect to deal with the plan change application?

A: The council expects a plan change will be lodged by the end of the year.

Q: There’s been talk about a proposed overbridge to the Kingsland Station, but that’s not mentioned in the resource consent application. What’s happening?

A: Auckland City is taking the lead role in bringing the relevant stakeholders together to ensure that the Kingsland Overbridge is developed in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Any approvals required for this development will be lodged separately.

ENDS

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