MEDIA RELEASE
2 February 2004

Auckland City to participate in Westhaven tender

Auckland City will participate in the tender process for Westhaven and Hobson West Marinas.

The council voted unanimously at its January 29 meeting to commence work on funding options for the marinas and to review development plans for all waterfront areas. This encompasses the area from the Harbour Park, west of the bridge, right through to the Marine Rescue Centre at the start of Tamaki Drive and includes Wynyard Point (the tank farm).

The proposed sale of Westhaven Marina and the smaller Hobson West Marina was announced by owners Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL) late last year.

The council’s decision is in addition to today’s public access agreement with POAL which will protect access regardless of who owns the marinas in future.

“It’s increasingly apparent that someone needs to take a guiding hand in the development of one of our most precious assets, the waterfront,” says Councillor Scott Milne, chairperson of the council’s Waterfront Working Party, established late last year to oversee the development of the waterfront area.

“We believe the council should work with partners like Ports of Auckland to act as guardian of the area and manage its long term development. Our objective is to ensure that accessibility is retained, we have a rich mix of activities and ultimately a waterfront area which is up there with the best in the world.

““It’s heartening to see that the council is speaking with one voice on this issue. We all see it as a major priority to develop the council’s 1989 waterfront strategy to encompass today’s new opportunities and challenges. As an example, the previous strategy didn’t include Westhaven or the Harbour Park area west of the bridge.”

The redevelopment strategy sought to enable varied uses for the waterfront. The key thrust was to provide major open spaces and waterfront access, mixed-use developments, improved transport linkages to the city, maritime events and to retain a presence for the fishing and marine industries.

The council has achieved many of the objectives including the viaduct harbour developments, the Britomart transport centre, the ferry terminal upgrades and the redevelopment of Princes Wharf.

More recently the council has been working with the Auckland Waterfront Group (AWG) on plans for the redevelopment of the Wynyard Point (tank farm) area.

Today’s public access agreement with POAL sees the Harbour Park area removed from the sale process so that its future can be more carefully considered by POAL and the council.

The decision to participate in the tender process means Auckland City will now begin an extensive investigation on funding options for the marinas. If the decision is made to tender, public submissions on the proposal will be called for.

The Westhaven and Hobson West tender process will begin soon.

Ends

Ref: SMc

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