Noise And Parking Issues Concern Inner City Residents

Inner city residents have concerns other than public transport, bus and rail connections and the proposed new terminus at the Waitemata Waterfront, a recent Auckland City survey shows.

Results indicate that while 33 per cent of central city apartments have no car parks and 52 per cent of residents walk to work or study, only 22 per cent do not own a car.

The Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee chairperson, Councillor Juliet Yates, says lack of parking - particularly no visitor parking - combined with noise, rank highest among residents’ concerns.

“I believe the city must consider the needs of residents’ visitors,” she says. “It is unreasonable, when public transport is poor, to have parking policies which disregard this simple need, especially as the Council is encouraging living in the inner city.

“The committee has sent the survey to relevant Council groups and asked for feedback on the issues raised by the residents.”

Poor public transport links, lacklustre street appearance and the need for recycling facilities are among other things the growing number of central Auckland residents wants to see improved. However, most were satisfied with issues of safety and security, parks and entertainment in the central area.

The findings are detailed in 522 responses to the Council’s Central Area Residential Survey 2000.

Councillor Yates says determining the opinions and trends of central Auckland residents is important in order for the Council to plan for the future of the inner city.

“We need to know who is living there and why, so that central Auckland continues to develop as a vibrant place where people want to live,” she says. “Inner city living in Auckland is still at a reasonably early stage of development, so it is vital that we monitor these trends and access the views of the growing number of people who choose to live in this unique environment.

”Clearly, people enjoy living where it is all happening, but with the lights and sights of a great city, one must also accept the sounds. The level of noise generated, especially late night music, cannot be the same as in a quiet tree-lined suburb.”

The latest survey of the area bounded by the Waitemata Harbour, the motorway ring, Stanley Street and The Strand, determines the composition of residents and whether their views have changed since the last survey was carried out in 1995.

It shows that more central Auckland residents are young, female and living alone in owner-occupied apartments. The number of 15 to 25-year-olds has risen dramatically from 25 per cent in 1995 to 42 per cent in 2000; women comprise 50 per cent of residents compared with 47 per cent in the last survey and 50 per cent own their own apartments compared with 42 per cent in 1995.

Most central Auckland residents have moved to the central area because of employment and 72 per cent of respondents work or study in the central area. More than half of them (52 per cent) walk to work/school/university, 22 per cent do not own a car and 33 per cent do not have a car park space in their building.

Councillor Yates says the survey has provided valuable information which will help the Council plan for the future of the inner city.

“There has been a population boom in central Auckland during the last five years, with the residential component more than doubling,” she says. “Latest estimates put the inner city population at 7530 and this is predicted to keep on increasing.

“It is therefore particularly important for the Council to monitor the growth in this area and I have asked for a further report on actions we may be able to take to meet present and anticipated demands.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
* Councillor Juliet Yates, tel: 528 0581 or 025 327 437.

© Scoop Media

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