10 November 2004

Manukau’s Biggest Transport And Development Projects Finally Begin

After years of planning, investigating, negotiating, and court battles construction is finally starting on the $66 million East Tamaki Connection road and $1billion Highbrook Business Park - two of Manukau’s biggest transport and development projects to date.

The road will provide a new interchange off the Southern Motorway to East Tamaki – Manukau’s biggest employment area.

The road is also a crucial element in the development of Highbrook, a 193ha purpose built business park on the Waiouru Peninsula. The area belongs to the estate of the late Sir Woolf Fisher and was formerly known as Ra Ora Stud. When completed, travellers heading to East Tamaki will be treated to a scenic route over the Tamaki Estuary and through an award winning landscaped area via Highbrook Drive.

Construction will be kicked off with the ‘breaking of the soil’ event on site and attended by each of the organisations that had a significant role in making it happen. These include big wigs from Macquarie Goodman (Australia), Transit NZ, Manukau City Council and Highbrook Trust.

The East Tamaki Connection will be completed by March 2007.

There will also be a significant upgrade of the Princes Street Interchange at Otahuhu and the addition of motorway lanes between there and the Highbrook Interchange.

Highbrook Development Limited is contributing $8 million towards construction of Highbrook Drive. This is a new arterial road providing access to Highbrook Business Park.

Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says "This is a key project for Manukau City and the entire region. We first began investigating options for other crossings of the Tamaki River back in the late 1980s. Continued rapid commercial development of East Tamaki, and residential growth in Botany and Dannemora, has made the project essential for further development".

Employment in the East Tamaki area is expected to more than double to 37,000 people over the next seven years. Much of this growth will come from the Highbrook development, which will deliver high-tech knowledge-economy jobs into Manukau city.

"Highbrook is the most exciting business park development in New Zealand. The scale and standard of development, and the calibre of the businesses it attracts, will further reinforce Manukau's reputation as a centre of business excellence".

"Employment growth is absolutely essential for Manukau, given our continued rapid population growth. Our population, which currently stands at 320,000 residents, grows by at least 5,000 people each year".

Sir Barry says the East Tamaki Connection is designed to relieve traffic congestion on existing roads which access East Tamaki.

"Reduced pressure on residential roads in Otara will make life easier and contribute to road safety objectives. And it will also take some of the pressure off Ti Rakau Drive, which has become one of the city's busiest roads".

"The Council consulted widely on proposed routes for the project. We are pleased with the successful outcome to consultation with affected communities, and that we successfully negotiated the purchase of affected properties".

ENDS

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