MEDIA RELEASE
16 December 2003

City's growth must be managed and not left to chance

Auckland City’s Central Sector Agreement with the Auckland Regional Council and the Regional Growth Forum is a groundbreaking document which ensures the future growth of the city is managed and not left to chance, says Councillor Juliet Yates, Chairperson, City Development Committee.

“The agreement sets out for the first time the rights, duties and obligations not just of Auckland City but of its regional partners in growth,” she says.

“The future of our city is far too important to leave to chance. Haphazard developments, lack of good design, lack of good transport and roading, lack of safeguards for the community or means for ensuring community benefits should not be tolerated.

“It is not a question of untrammelled growth, nor of ‘develop at all costs.’”

The Central Sector Agreement is due to be endorsed by the full council on Thursday (18 December 2003).

Mrs Yates adds: “It covers three important issues. Firstly, it records that the city and partners must take into account their obligations under the Resource Management Act to promote sustainable management of natural and physical resources. This means economic growth matching population growth, protecting valued character, and our significant natural environment. The agreement states that future growth must be accommodated in a manner, which does not damage the quality of life of our existing residents.

“Secondly, there is an obligation to ensure that reciprocity exists between the city and its partners. In return for the city managing the impacts that regional growth has on its local communities, the partners in the region must lay their part. They must facilitate cross boundary infrastructure (including transport and roading), they must also accommodate their share of growth through intensification and provide recreational and sports facilities which cannot be provided in Auckland City.

“Thirdly, Auckland City accepts its responsibility to pursue the following principles:
- a wide range of lifestyle choice
- high environmental values
- quality compact urban living and needed economic growth
- a focus on strong communities, with growth in the CBD, town centres, and major transport nodes
- quality urban design and maintenance of amenity.

“The ARC’s responsibilities are also detailed, and include delivering a comprehensive transport system to give improved access to areas of growth. The system must respect the rights of Auckland residents to a better standard of air quality in the streets, utilise rail networks, and facilitate completion of the motorway network.”

Mrs Yates says the agreement contains community safeguards. The agreement will be regularly reviewed, and the city will also monitor the progress of other councils in the region as they progress their share of the regional growth strategy.

“Signing of the Central Area Agreement, if approved by full council on Thursday, does not limit council's ability to respond to community concerns, or needs in relation to growth issues. The council can alter the priority areas and could resolve not to proceed with one or any priority area."

Ends

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