New transport alliance to support growth in our fastest growing region
13 August 2018
NZ Government:
A new alliance is taking responsibility for
planning and confirming around 60
transport projects to support growth
in
Auckland.
The
Supporting Growth Alliance, Te Tupu Ngātahi (“to grow together as
one”) is a collaboration between the
NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and
Auckland Transport (AT) to
investigate and plan the transport network and support Auckland’s urban
growth over the next 30 years.
The Alliance will support the initial development of growth areas in
Warkworth, north, northwest and south Auckland. It is estimated that
these areas will account for around 30% of the region’s growth by 2050.
In all, that’s about 15,000 hectares of greenfield or undeveloped land,
with a capacity for 137,000 new homes and 67,000 new jobs.
All of the growth areas will build on Auckland’s proposed rapid transit
network for the future, including
Light
Rail to the northwest.
As a collaborative consortium of government and professional service
firms, the Alliance will be responsible for the whole approach to
identifying and protecting routes for the transport network while
providing efficiencies in the planning process.
Transport Minister Phil Twyford welcomes the certainty which the
collaborative approach will bring.
“Previously we haven’t been able to provide certainty to communities,
landowners and other stakeholders about transport infrastructure to
support development. Now we can start to answer some of their
questions.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says, “Over the next ten years, we’re
undertaking the largest ever investment in Auckland’s transport
infrastructure, it will unlock new areas for development. The Alliance
will ensure projects can get underway and be delivered on time,
providing certainty for developers and our local communities.”
Since 2015, NZTA, AT and
Auckland Council have been working to identify
the preferred transport network to support growth. With the Alliance
there will be a team to collectively guide the process of transport
investment, statutory protection, consenting and development.
The aim is to protect the full network over the next five years, with
projects staged for funding allocation and delivery over the next two
decades.
While most projects are being delivered by the Alliance, several other
priority projects are already progressing through consenting and
business case development. These include:
-
the Matakana Link Road at Warkworth
-
Dairy Flat Highway safety improvements
-
safety and efficiency improvements on State Highway 16 and State Highway 22
-
SH1 Papakura to Bombay project
Mr Goff says we’re not waiting
around. “Critical transport projects are already underway including the
Matakana Link Road which deals with congestion in this fast growing area
and is made possible by funding provided by the regional fuel tax.”
The Alliance is partnering with mana whenua,
KiwiRail and Auckland
Council’s
land use planning and infrastructure teams to develop an
integrated response to growth that is aligned to the wider regional
plans being developed for the city.
“One of the main aims is to plan and design future communities that are
well connected with public transport, facilities and employment so they
are great places to live, work and play,” says Mr Twyford.
Mr Goff says, “Council and the government are working together to
deliver infrastructure that supports future generations of Aucklanders.”
Early estimates for the cost of transport improvements over the next 30
years to support the growth areas are approximately $8bn-$10bn, with
funding from both public and some private sources.
An early role for the Alliance will be to consult with communities and
various stakeholders to assess options and opportunities and develop
recommended corridors.
There will be a staged roll out of community consultations in each local
growth area, starting in Warkworth, Dairy Flat and Silverdale next
month.
The Supporting Growth programme aligns with the Auckland Transport
Alignment Project (ATAP), a collaboration between Auckland Council and
the Government which recommends a strategic approach to transport
investment in Auckland. It also supports Auckland Council’s Future Urban
Land Supply Strategy (FULSS), which sets out the order in which land is
supplied for development in future growth areas.
Along with NZTA and AT, Te Tupu Ngātahi includes consultancies
AECOM and
Beca and legal providers Bell Gully and Buddle Findlay.
--ENDS--
Source: New Zealand Government - www.beehive.govt.nz
Contact: N/A
External Links: www.supportinggrowth.govt.nz
Recent news by: NZ Government