Before I go on more, this blog is about Wynyard Quarter / Western Reclamation / Tank Farm redevelopment. A central chunk of Auckland's waterfront. My issue with what has been proposed is that ARH (Auckland Regional Holdings) have been instructed by ARC to "...optimise revenue..." from the development. Those directions also go on about the development being "...world class..." without saying anything about the nature or purpose of any development.
Last week, ARC's Finance Ctte voted this way:
That the Chairman of the Finance Committee writes to Auckland Regional Holdings:
(i) requesting Auckland Regional Holdings to address any inconsistencies
in the draft 2009-19 Long Term Funding Plan, and to confirm that it will
provide the distributions specified in the Auckland Regional Council’s
2009-19 Long Term Council Community Plan.
(ii) requesting Auckland Regional Holdings to keep the Auckland Regional
Council fully informed of its leasing strategy for the Wynyard quarter,
and related financial implications;
(iii) advising that the previous objective in respect of the waterfront
investment property “to enable the creation of a world-class, mixed-use,
urban waterfront redevelopment incorporating high-quality and
accessible public spaces and high-quality private works” is amended to
“to enable the creation of a world-class, mixed-use, urban waterfront
redevelopment that becomes a visitor destination by delivering high quality
and accessible public spaces and attractions alongside high quality
private works”.
I moved the change that is in (iii) above. You might have to read it a couple of times to spot the difference. But this change should make a significant difference. It provides direction to ARH and Sea+City about the purpose of the development, and what needs to be provided to meet that purpose.
 | Greywacke pebbles on the beach south of Timaru. I like beaches and flotsam and jetsam... |
3 comments:
Took me about three reads to spot the difference, but I guess the key is the "By delivering". Puts pressure on ARH to actually make things happen rather than just hoping they will 'as if by magic'.
Good stuff.
I dont understand why everything in Auckland is advertised as being "world class" by the authorities when it is nothing special at all. I really hope the height limit for this quarter is going to be more than 5 stories! Too many NIMBY's who think their view (of storage tanks) will be blocked!
The words "World Class" were what made me develop the website: www.places4people.org.nz. I took myself off to various waterfronts around the world - world class ones of course - and have assessed them visually on the website. The point being that "world class" doesn't really mean anything tangible. Some "world class" waterfront developments are ONLY for the people who can afford to live in the apartments developed there, or to park their plastic fantastics there. And then there are some "world class" waterfronts that are popular, visitor destinations, attractive to youth, and a broad demographic. Which is how I saw Wynyard Quarter. Variation in built environment height is interesting. Needs to show respect for low level heritage. Would be boring of everything was exactly the same height. I'd like to see some of the taller tanks stay - like the cement silos. I think there is growing support for that.
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