Submissions C: Waterfront Plan

Waterfront Public Space and Urban Parkland The DWP emphasises the need for a “connected and accessible waterfront” (Pg 21). This goal is worthwhile but it sidesteps the more fundamental need for a waterfront urban park – though the images and idea of a Foreshore Avenue (Pg 31, central pictures) – suggest some recognition of that need. The experiences of crowd management during the RWC have brought further focus on the actual capacity of Auckland’s waterfront spaces to accommodate the population. At a reasonable density of 3 people/square metres, then Quay Street (closed to traffic), Te Whero Island, Wynyard Quarter (as it is now), Princes Wharf, Queen Elizabeth Square, Captain Cook Wharf and Queens Wharf could hold about 300,000 people (these waterfront public spaces amount to an area of about 10 hectares, and all are accessible within 1.5kms of Britomart. This excludes the Wynyard Headland Park which is 2km from Britomart). But people would all be standing at 3 people/sq metre. A crowded waterfront. Metrics for good provision of central city urban park space/head (as opposed to open space or regional park space provision) of population are available. Used as a promenade and place of enjoyment, such as is evident at Wynyard Quarter, an occupation rate of around 1 person/3 square metres is more appropriate (ie not a crowded environment), giving a casual visitor waterfront capacity of around 30,000 (this assumes that ALL of the spaces listed in the paragraph above are available as waterfront urban park space). However this provision is modest by international standards, and all of Queens Wharf makes up a quarter of that. That is why Queens Wharf is so important as a central city public space.

Submission 3: Waterfront public space planning needs to include provision for urban park requirements, not just connectivity and accessibility.

Submissions G: Waterfront Plan

Successful Place Making at Wynyard Quarter One of the most positive initiatives in the DWP is the reference to :”considered place-making”. Due to a combination of quality planning (arising from the urban design framework process and RMA plan changes), a pause in the development of sites along Jellicoe, the available of budget for public investment – a cluster of public places has been constructed along Jellicoe Street through to Silo Park. The public have loved those places: the artificial grass mound, the children’s playground, the seating, the sense of open-ness, the peace and quiet from commercial hubbub. The DWP features photographs prominently of these accidental successes. Why accidental? Because much of this amenity, these quality public places, suburban park landscapes, are the sites of future highrise development. The DWP is highly misleading because it does not accurately depict how Jellicoe Street will look when it is developed to potential. The images used in the DWP (Pg 31, central pictures) depict the sort of Urban Park landscape approach that is visible now at Qynyard Quarter – including the play area and sitting areas – but which will be lost if planned development occurs. This is one end of Auckland’s “Foreshore Avenue”. It needs to be supported along Jellicoe, across the walking bridge, and into Quay Park to Queens Park. What we now see on and around Jellicoe is the sort of suburban park landscape that Auckland needs, and clearly loves already, and should be be retained. I recognise that the revenue from planned development is part of the budgetting process, so it is not just a simple matter of rezoning some of that land as urban park (though that is required). I submit that experience to date with Wynyard, including RWC experience, merits a plan change for the northern precinct of Wynyard Quarter - including the headland park. This would allow further development potential on that land, to compensate for some loss of development potential on and around Jellicoe. It would also be an opportunity for planning necessary for Te Papa North (for example), which could be integrated with a cruise ship terminal on Wynyard Wharf.

Submission 8: That necessary planning be undertaken into Wynyard Quarter development options which will allow the urban park amenity now evident along Jellicoe Street (including the playground, grass mounded area, other sitting areas, paved open space areas), to be retained, by reducing proposed development intensity in the vicinity, and by reviewing development options on the tankfarm area.