MEDIA RELEASE: AUCKLAND 2040

Attached and below: Note also at the end of this releases Auckland 2040 promises to make the Unitary Plan an election issue this year.

Are you a First class or Second class citizen in Auckland?

Richard Burton, spokesperson for Auckland 2040 and a planning consultant for over 30 years, attended a Council run forum of key stakeholders this week about the mixed Housing and Terrace Housing/ Apartment zones.

Burton said, “Despite what they say, Auckland Council is clearly proposing widespread demolition of existing residential areas and their replacement with high density housing. This will have the effect of creating two tiers of residents. Whether you are a first class citizen with protection from residential intensification or a second class citizen whose residential community is earmarked for high density apartment development, depends on which zoning you have been given.”

“First Class citizens are lucky enough to live in the Single House zone or have a heritage overlay. Residential intensification is severely restricted in those areas. Second class citizens live in areas zoned Mixed Housing or Terrace Housing and Apartment zone covering 56% of the residential areas, these areas are earmarked for redevelopment.”

“This division of Auckland into first and second class areas emphasises the Council’s lack of consideration for the property rights of the majority of Aucklanders and shows complete disregard of the differing existing urban forms which make up our city.”

“Over the next 30 years Council wants to add nearly 300,000 new household units into the existing urban area, the majority of these in the Mixed Housing or Terrace Housing and Apartment zones. This number of units will simply not fit unless much of the existing housing stock is demolished and intensive apartment development built in its place.”

“When this redevelopment occurs, it will not happen in a planned way but will be haphazard leaving some of the existing housing stock and causing housing blight where existing housing is left to deteriorate in the expectation that it will eventually be knocked down and redeveloped. In fact, one property representative welcomed urban blight as a means of reducing house prices and making land acquisition cheaper.”

Monday’s forum, to which a number of Auckland developers were invited, together with Auckland 2040, to discuss the residential intensification provisions of the plan, seems to be the only opportunity being provided by Council for stakeholders to discuss intensification of residential areas. Richard Burton said that, while there was constructive discussion, the composition of the meeting was heavily in favour of property developers and members of a Council advisory panel. He said “the Council seems intent on paying lip service to community feedback and pressing ahead with its plans.”

Auckland Unitary Plan to be a major issue in this year’s local body elections.

Auckland 2040 announced today that it intends to make the Auckland Unitary Plan the major issue for this year’s local body elections in October.

A significant number of Auckland Councillors and Local Board members have spoken up against the plan being rushed through without the fundamental rethink sought by many Aucklanders. However, there is a small majority of Councillors who are in favor of notifying the plan in September, ignoring community feedback.

These Councillors, encouraged and perhaps directed by senior council bureaucrats, have attempted to hide from Aucklanders the full implications of the unitary plan and the planned destruction and redevelopment of much of Auckland’s residential areas.

Auckland 2040 will actively campaign against Councillors and Board members who support the plan’s current residential redevelopment provisions. Auckland 2040 says a number of Councillors are ignoring the concerns of their local communities.
Many residents relate strongly to their residential area and, while they are not opposed to some additional intensification, are totally opposed to much of the existing housing being demolished and replaced by intensive apartment development.

This Council was not elected with a mandate to fundamentally change historic patterns of development in Auckland and to create a high density city.

The local body elections will give Aucklanders the opportunity to support politicians who support a fundamental rethink of the Unitary Plan.

Auckland 2040 will be active in canvassing the views of candidates for Council and local boards and informing Aucklanders of those views. Auckland 2040 supports “Rethink the Plan or Rethink the Council”.

About Auckland 2040
Auckland 2040 is a newly formed grass roots organization of non political residents passionately concerned about the future planning and shape of Auckland. Its web site is www.auckland2040.org.nz

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