City Centre Intelligence
You will find here various media articles relating to the City Centre.
CONTACT US if you have any articles you think should be included.
Auckland Council
Is it time Auckland became more pedestrian-friendly?
Well, it probably couldn't be much more hostile to those walking, so that would be a 'Yes!'
Half a million people walk around the City Centre every weekday, (everyone is a pedestian at some stage) but until now Auckland hasn't had a strategy for better serving pedestrians – or placed a dollar value on improving the city for them. In this RNZ interview, Auckland Council's Darren Davis backs up what we all already knew with a business case for making our biggest city more pedestrian-friendly.
SASOC 2107
Stop Auckland Sewage Overflows Coalition (SASOC) 28.9.17 AGM addresses
SASOC's Mission -To lobby for immediate upgrade of the drainage infrastructure of
the central Auckland isthmus to stop untreated wastewater and stormwater discharges into the environment”
Discussed at the AGM was the revised Central Interceptor project now renamed Western Isthmus Water Quality Improvement Plan (WIWQIP). This large pipe will probably run from Cox's Bay via Western Springs and Mt Albert to the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant. Work willstart on this very soon. An announcement on the scope of the work is expected from Council this month.
In addition the AGM considered a discussion sheet (click below) about the implications of a targeted rate. Council is considering some form of targeting a group of ratepayers with the WIWQIP cost rather than all ratepayers.
Click below for a brief sheet explaining "SASOC at a glance" which gives a quick overview of SASOC.
AKl Heritage Festival 2017 - CCRG Event
City Centre Part of CCRG's Heritage Festival Coast to Coast Walk
CCRG - Hosting the Coast to Coast
Sunday 1 October, 10am-3pm
An Auckland Heritage Festival 2017 Event
The Auckland Heritage Festival takes place from 30 September to 15 October.
The theme this year is ‘From waterways to motorways: the heritage of transport and travel in Tāmaki Makaurau’.
CCRG has entered a walking event in the festival, as we are strong advocates for a pedestrian friendly city centre, and walking was a means of early transport in Auckland, as in most cities of the world.
We welcome anyone to join the walk, either at the start or along the way. We will be going at a leisurely pace and will make a stop for lunch.
Join Us!
City Community Centre to Open Next month
ELLEN MELVILLE CENTRE - PUBLIC City Centre COMMUNITY Facility
Council & WLB Update, Aug 2017
"Ellen Melville Centre & Freyberg Place - an integrated space where city centre residents & the wider community can support a vibrant & connected community - providing a range of community activities, programmes and spaces for hire. Staff are committed to ensuring the Centre is a hub where the community can come together to learn, have fun and foster community spirit".
Britomart Station Surrounds includng Lower Queen Street - September 2017
A 67-page document looking at a whole range of designs, design elements, and focussing on people and pedestrians, not only in the areas directly in front of Britomart Station, but also in the surrounding streets.
The CRL report is the detailed source document.
Greater Auckland also have a useful analysis and commentary on the proposals.
Leaky buildings, seismic strengthening and leasehold rent reviews
These are just some of the issues Auckland apartment buyers need to watch out for. From interest.co.nz (12 August 2017) this article sensibly highlights the issues buyers need to be aware of as they carry out their due diligence, prior to buying an apartment. Many buildings have no, or just the regular ongoing R&M needs of any property. Others do not. Care must always be taken. Caveat Emptor.
UTA Review is Lacking
Buyer beware: The law is failing to protect Kiwi apartment owners
5 July 2017 by Maria Slade from NOTED
If you are an apartment owner you will know about the Unit Titles Act (UTA) and its shortcomings. A much-needed review of this Act is underway. But the review recommendations do not go far enough this article says.
How ACPs catch fire
ACP cladding investigation update
Enhanced review underway
30 June 2017 - Auckland Council
In light of issues raised by the London disaster, Auckland Council is undertaking a much-needed review & investigation into buildings that potentially have aluminium composite panels (ACP) in their construction. Read their press release, info on ACPs in Auckland, and what they are doing.
City Centre Schools
Skyscraper schools for auckland
5 July 2017NZ Herald
The number of people living in the city centre alone is rising fast. Already over 40,000 (including 2,000 school-age children), this number will rise quickly and is forcing a re-think on where space for the tens of thousands of extra students expected in the future will come from.
Common in urban entres overseas,this will mean a new type of urban school for Auckland - those with high-rise classrooms and no sports fields.
Auckland CBD, beaches and al fresco dining areas to become smokefree
6 July 2017, Shani Williams,Akl City Harbour News
Smoking may be banned in Auckland's City Centre as Auckland Council ramps up its goal to become a smoke free city.
Auckland Council is putting measures in place to make beaches, urban centres and al fresco dining areas smokefree areas by 2018.
3.5Km of Tunnels under Albert park
Proposal to open the Tunnels Under Albert park
Reid & Andreef presentation to City Centre Advisory Board, July 2017 Agenda
3.5Km of tunnels were built during WW2 as shelters. Big enough to drive supply trucks through. Still there - although full of stacked bricks...this is a long-planned project led (in particular) by one very determined man, that would see the main tunnel reopened from Victoria St to Beach Road, with additional access from Princes & Symonds St. It would operate for walking and cycling. and integrate with the Victoria Street Linear Park and the CRL.
Stop Auckland Sewage Overflows Coalition FACT SHEET
Stretched Auckland’s civic infrastructure - in this case sewage/stormwater that affects all of us who broder the Waitemata and other waterways. With elections coming up and and Auckland Council preparing its 10 year plan here is an easily understood one page fact sheet.
The purpose of this sheet is that it can be copied to give to political decision makers at local, parliamentary candidate and government level. Raising it will promote the overflow issues and keep decision-makers focused on this issue.