Media Release

Consolidation enables Ports of Auckland to open up Onehunga Wharf land to Aucklanders

“Ports of Auckland is negotiating with Panuku Development Auckland to sell the Port of Onehunga and make it available for public use”, chief executive Tony Gibson said today.

“This has come about because Manukau Harbour is too shallow for modern shipping, making the port at Onehunga unsuitable for freight operations. Over the past few years we have been consolidating Onehunga operations at our main port on the Waitematā Harbour.

The construction of a new cement import facility at the Waitematā port, to be completed in 2016, is the final phase in the move of freight operations from Onehunga. This enables us to make our land at the Port of Onehunga available to Aucklanders, just as Princes Wharf, Queens Wharf, the Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter have been opened up for public use and enjoyment.”

“By improving our efficiency we have been able to consolidate our operations, halve our land footprint and still continue to serve Auckland and New Zealand’s growing freight needs. This has enabled large areas of the Waitematā waterfront to be opened up for public use and we are delighted to be able to do the same for Onehunga and the Manukau.”

“Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s first, busiest and most efficient container port, as well as a vital tourism hub. We are keeping up with the international trend toward larger ships and we are evolving to meet Auckland’s growing freight demands while taking up less space,” added Mr Gibson.

John Dalzell, Chief Executive of Panuku Development Auckland said “Onehunga town centre and its surrounds is identified as a key location where we will facilitate long-term residential and/or commercial developments that deliver on one of the objectives of the Auckland Plan - to radically improve the quality of urban living.

Within that, transforming the Onehunga port site to facilitate more public uses is seen as the key to unlocking the economic, recreation, tourism and transportation potential of the Manukau Harbour.

On that basis Panuku Development Auckland is considering the acquisition of the site.

Technical and environmental due diligence on the site has been completed and we hope to enter into a conditional agreement for the site in the coming months.

Should that happen we will be committed to achieving a high standard of urban amenity and public access across the site and along the coastal edge.

Panuku appreciates the importance of the site to the local community and once an agreement is finalised it will undertake a comprehensive master planning exercise that will include the local board and key stakeholders.”

ENDS

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