Auckland Redevelopment & America's Cup

So. We won the America's Cup and very quickly there needs to be discussion and agreement about how and where to host it. Part of this debate is where syndicates might be based, where visitors might stand, sit or go to view proceedings, where the actual racing might be held, and what sort of development is best.

Very quick off the mark have been statements that Hobson Wharf (or the Viaduct) be extended. Misinformed I think.

This aerial shows the waterfront area around Viaduct Harbour, which got redeveloped on the back of the America's Cup win in 1995. Top right is Princes Wharf which also got developed around the same time as Viaduct Harbour.

The shaded blue area is the area of Viaduct Harbour that was developed after America's Cup win 1995. (You can see a more precise planning map in this waterfront plan change posting.)  The mechanisms in place to plan and fund the Viaduct Harbour are of interest and relevance today. Back then an Identity called Infrastructure Auckland was set up. Among other things it owned the Port of Auckland Ltd, including a large chunk of Viaduct Harbour, and it had a big chunk of cash. A very careful plan change under Auckland City Council's control sought to balance a good mix of public open space, heritage retention, marine activities, residential development (the apartments down there came from this), and some space for America's Cup syndicates. (Some were located in other parts of the Auckland waterfront.). This redevelopment is of its time of course. Some of the open spaces were a bit pinched (like the pedestrian walk areas around the Viaduct Wharf. And others were grand but unsuccessful (eg Waitemata Plaza and Market Square). The idea that fishing industry could still locate inside the Viaduct Wharf area was quickly given short shrift by apartment residents grumpy about fish smells and fishy language early in the morning.

I won't go on about the Princes Wharf regeneration disaster here, as have at length elsewhere. For example here and here and here.

Stop Press (1/7/2017)  A reader has drawn my attention to discussion about the option of Viaduct being extended (an option which I didn't include in my original posting - so I've added it now.). That could be some variant of the yellow area extending beyond the structure which supports the Event Centre. It shares some of the problems that an extension to Hobson Wharf has: further reclamation of a very utilised piece of water space (think triathalons and dragon boat racing - events with very low environmental footprints); and problematic land transport access conflicting with Event Centre utilisation. It also suggests that Auckland's fishing fleet is a disposable industry - can be shifted at a planning whim. Auckland should not be treating that industry lightly - as it did when residents had it removed from the inner Viaduct. I think it is critical to the continuing success of Wynyard Quarter in particular that a good balance is struck between public amenity and open space; high quality architecture for commercial, accommodation and residential uses; protection of maritime heritage; support for fisheries and related cuisine; and of course provision for marine industry and sport.

 Hobson Wharf is shown by the yellow area in this aerial. The Maritime Museum is at its southern end. Princes Wharf is to the right. Most of the actual wharf area of Hobson Wharf is now taken up by the special museum building that holds boats associated with Sir Peter Blake's maritime history including an America's Cup wining boat.

Hobson Wharf extends to the left in the background. The glass fronted building sitting on the wharf is ther Sir Peter Blake Museum.

In my opinion, extending Hobson Wharf out into Waitemata Harbour beside Princes Wharf for Am Cup 2021 is inappropriate for a whole range of reasons. Recalling the objections to POAL's extension of Bledisloe Wharf - it would be hypocritical to fast track anything like that here. Yes - this might be a piled extension, but it would still alienate a very popular piece of waterspace. Secondly, I think that Auckland in particular (and many countries generally) find that reusing pier/wharf/jetty type structures when they become surplus to maritime requirements is very problematic. Look at the poor use Auckland is making of Queens Wharf for example. (You only have to look at Viaduct and Wynyard to see how much more useful and useable a piece of reclaimed land is - compared with a wharf structure). And thirdly, if America's Cup syndicates were loctaed on an extended Hobson Wharf their transport options would be terribly limited. This is a very constrained piece of coastline. With Quay Street and Hobson Street extension the main means of land access - and such traffic would have to navigate past Maritime Museum and Sir Peter Blake Museum etc. Perhaps there is a desire to rethink Sir Peter's Museum - if so - be public. But for all of the above reasons I think Hobson Wharf - or any combination of Hobson Wharf and Viaduct - should be rejected as an option.

The best option - in my opinion - is the end of Wynyard Quarter. Creative incorporation among the tanks is a great design solution. I agree with Mayor Goff's call for that area to be targetted by this regeneration opportunity, with the legacy being open space - probably complimented by some appropriate development. An empty open space will not be the best use of this opportunity - primarily because the best open spaces in these sorts of locations include some built edges both to shape the space, provide shelter and informal surveillance, and some amenity - be it ice-creams or coffee or playground equipment. It isn't necessary for syndicate development infrastructure to be permanent. These buildings can be relocateable. Viewing and gathering areas can be temporary too. The legacy of this sort of redevelopment can be useable and developeable waterfront land. There does not need to be talk of iconic structures. It will be enough that the event is located successfully in Auckland and Waitemata Harbour. And all syndicates will be adjacent to the marine suppliers and chandlery facilities that have remained and are locating in Wynyard Quarter. Much of that support infrastructure is there. As is the roading and pipe networks.

And as to the location of the racing itself, check out this race course posting I did after 2014....

Process and funding. It is worth reminding ourselves that early Am Cup developments, and the Rugby World Cup we just hosted were all "planned" by empowering legislation. Thus the lead planning agency was Central Government. That shouldn't happen here in 2021. But there is a problem the ready public cash that existed in 1995, and which has enabled such high quality urban regeneration in the Wynyard Quarter has been spent - and is no longer available as a funding option.

It should be recognised by all concerned that the main public financial beneficiary from an event like the America's Cup is NOT Auckland Council - it is Central Government (because of GST collected on all of the additional economic activities, because of increased economic activity - more employment - more taxes and so on). This is recognised in Australia. There, Federal and State Government funding is used to trigger and underpin urban regeneration projects. What Local Government can bring to the party is good planning, and some measure of private development as part of the whole package.

I think this particular project presents a political opportunity in an election year to set out mechanisms and expectations for Central Government involvement. It is a pity - thinking back to the Rugby World Cup - that the Labour Govt's offer of a $1 billion for a waterfront stadium wasn't taken up. Maybe that would have been the wrong thing to do. Now seems like the time for some sort of commitment from the Labour Party (say) to fund remediation works on Wynyard Quarter, and perhaps public works acquisition of key titles, in order to lay bare parts of the site for redevelopment. Auckland Council for its part would need - in my view to commit to an appropriate plan change for that part of Wynyard Quarter. The long term legacy would be redevelopment at least as good as what i there now - but with much more public open space. The short term opportunity would be a place to host Am Cup syndicates and viewing platforms.

Get foiling. Now's the time for 100% flytime.