AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

15 September 2006

Public have their say on the proposal to redevelop Eden Park

Auckland City has received 470 submissions on the resource consent application to redevelop Eden Park.

The council publicly notified the resource consent application on 13 August and members of the public had until 8 September to lodge submissions on the proposal.

A preliminary breakdown of submissions shows that just over 300 submitters are in favour of the redevelopment, while around 160 registered their opposition to the proposal.

For the first time, the council published all details of a resource consent application on its website and provided people with the opportunity to make submissions online.

The council’s project manager for regulatory services, Graeme Michie, says accessing the information on the Eden Park proposal online proved popular.

“This is the first time a resource consent application has been available via the council’s website and people clearly responded to this approach.

“There were more than 15,000 downloads of different parts of the resource consent application and more than 100 people chose to make their submissions online.

“We’re pleased that people have seized the opportunity to access the consent via the website and that they’re using this channel to inform themselves and make submissions,” Mr Michie says.

The council is now looking to make greater use of its website for notified resource consent applications within the next two years.

The Government announced this week that it was evaluating the potential of using a downtown waterfront site to develop a world-class stadium for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Auckland City will continue to process the Eden Park resource consent application unless it is advised to do otherwise by the applicant.

The council will now refer the submissions on the Eden Park redevelopment to a panel of independent commissioners who will consider the resource consent at a hearing later in the year.

Those who have made submissions on the resource consent proposal will have the right to speak before the commissioners. However, the commissioners will have to decide if they wish to take account of those submissions received after the 8 September closing date.

ENDS

Note to Editors:
The resource consent application to redevelop Eden Park proposes:

- a new three-tier South Stand, replacing the existing South and South West stands

- creating a new three-tier East Stand, to replace the existing terraces

- an internal concourse around the ground

- new toilet, corporate and food outlet facilities

- lights incorporated under the South Stand roof

- removing the perimeter fence

- new operating conditions for a redeveloped stadium

- operating conditions for the demolition and construction period

specific operating conditions for Rugby World Cup 2011 and Cricket World Cup 2015

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