AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

1 March 2007

Urban designer appointed to consider signs and billboards bylaws

Urban design expert Garth Falconer has been appointed as an independent panellist to join councillors in considering proposed new rules for signs and billboards.

Auckland City Council released draft signs and billboards bylaws in January for public consultation and is accepting submissions until 2 March.

Earlier this month, the Planning and Regulatory Committee voted to appoint an independent person with urban design skills to the panel considering the bylaws.

Chairperson, Councillor Glenda Fryer, says Garth Falconer is an award-winning urban designer who will bring valuable skills to the hearings panel.

“I’m thrilled that we have someone of Mr Falconer’s calibre, skills and experience to participate in this decision-making process which is all about how our city will look and feel in years to come.

“The draft bylaws have a strong urban design focus and it’s important that we have someone with those skills on the panel to give advice about what’s effective and practical.”

Mr Falconer is a founding director of the landscape and urban design consultancy the Isthmus Group, has a Masters in Urban Design from Oxford Brookes and is a member of the council’s Urban Design Panel.

He has been involved in many significant large-scale urban development projects, ranging from CBD’s and town centres, to public open space networks, and commercial and retail developments.

Currently he is involved with the upgrade of the Christchurch City Mall, Henderson town centre and the redevelopment of the Whangarei CBD.

Mr Falconer has won numerous national and international urban design and landscape architecture awards and frequently writes, tutors and lectures on design.

He will join councillors Glenda Fryer (chairperson), Faye Storer, Richard Northey, Graeme Mulholland and Penny Sefuiva on the panel to consider the draft bylaws.

The panel will convene in the next few months to consider the detail of the draft bylaws and all submissions made on the proposals.

It will then make a recommendation on the bylaws to full council later in the year.

Anyone wanting further information about the proposed signs and billboards bylaws should visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/bylaws

ENDS

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