Council Promises To Protect Gateway To Auckland

The City Development Committee has confirmed the council’s commitment to the enhancement of the Onehunga foreshore and lagoon.

The council will request that central government, the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Auckland Regional Council joins with the city to fund the expansion of the highway and the restoration of the foreshore and lagoon.

This reaffirms the council’s belief in the need to future proof the double tracking of the rail connection between Avondale and Southdown without compromising the Onehunga lagoon.

This proposal would require the westward shift of State Highway 20.

“We are serious about protecting the foreshore and now is the time to take proactive action. We have committed to preparing a master plan and we will be facilitating a funding partnership requesting other organisations to make a realistic contribution,” says Committee chairperson Councillor Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

“This is more than a community issue; this is about our gateway to Auckland. The resolutions passed by the committee demonstrate how committed the council is to this project. In the next few months we will be communicating with other agencies, putting together a full costing analysis of the option to shift the motorway westward, and creating a master plan to move the community into the future,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

The council has also committed to consulting with key community groups including the Onehunga Enhancement Society and the Maungakiekie Community Board during the creation of the master plan.

“We need to protect and enhance the volcanic and coastal landscape character of the area and provide quality open spaces to cater to the needs of the growing population in Onehunga. Our proposed solution will also improve public access to and along the Manukau Harbour, a valuable part of Auckland’s natural environment,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

ENDS

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