Coastal Plan hearings begin for Wynyard Quarter

23 July 2008

Public hearings for proposed changes to the Auckland Regional Plan: Coastal for Wynyard Quarter start this Monday 28 July at the ARC Council Chamber, 21 Pitt St, Auckland. The hearings run until 18 August 2008.

The Auckland Regional Plan: Coastal Plan Change 3 covers the water space and wharves around the Wynyard Quarter area.

The plan change amends the Regional Plan: Coastal to provide for changes expected as part of the proposed redevelopment of Wynyard Quarter (also known as the Western Reclamation, Wynyard Point and the Tank Farm). The proposed plan change applies to Port Management Areas 2 and 4A.

Sixty submitters will be heard by commissioners. The independent commissioners who will hear and recommend decisions on the plan change are Leigh McGregor, who is hearing panel chair, Jennie Hoadley and Byrdie Ayres. ARC Chairman Michael Lee was appointed as ARC commissioner on the panel.

As the plan change relates to a regional coastal plan, it will need to be adopted by the ARC prior to seeking approval from the Minister of Conservation for changes to be made operative.

The change to the Regional Plan: Coastal includes amendments to provide for:

• a bridge (‘Te Wero bridge') between the eastern Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter
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• a marine events centre on Halsey Street Extension Wharf, Western Viaduct Wharf and the adjacent water space, including an extension to the time limit for temporary events in the Viaduct Harbour
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• appropriate use and development of North Wharf (along Jellicoe Street)
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• future development and use of Wynyard Wharf for port, commercial, entertainment and public use
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• buildings on wharves, and public sculptures in Port Management Areas 2 and 4A
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• management of future uses and development of the water area around Wynyard Quarter, including for fishing and marine industries
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• ensuring the timing of new developments, particularly on Wynyard Wharf, is integrated with the timing and management of change on the adjacent land
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• noise limits for the coastal marine area to permit an increased number of public events each year and clarifying where those noise limits can be measured
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• amending the Plan Map Series 2 to rename the two parts of Port Management Area 2 as 2A and 2B, move the boundary between Port Management Areas 4A and 2B, and to more accurately show the extent of the wharves and the coastal marine area.
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Issues raised by submitters include:

• effects of the proposed bridge on vessel movement in the Viaduct Harbour
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• noise from the proposed events centre
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• whether there is adequate provision for marine and fishing industry operations and the Great Barrier Island ferry
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• the relocation of the bulk liquids industry.
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Plan Change 3 complements the district plan change notified by Auckland City Council for redevelopment of the adjacent land area. The hearings for that plan change were held from 3 June to 16 July.

The ARC and Auckland City Council undertook extensive consultation in 2004 that resulted in broad agreement on the future of the Wynyard area, summarised in the Auckland Waterfront Vision 2040. Go to http://www.arc.govt.nz/auckland/waterfront-development/principles-of-the-waterfront-vision.cfm

Auckland Regional Holdings (ARH), part of the ARC Group, is the major landowner in Wynyard Precinct and established Sea+City Projects Limited, a specialist property management company, as its agent to oversee the revitalisation of the area.

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