America's Cup poll: Aucklanders don't want rugby-field size extension into Waitemata Harbour

The latest plan for the America's Cup Village in Auckland.

Aucklanders have rejected the latest America's Cup village proposal that involves a wharf extension into Waitemata Harbour the size of a rugby field, a new poll shows.

The poll, commissioned by the lobby group Stop Stealing Our Harbour, shows 70 per cent of Aucklanders want the village to be built on existing waterfront land and structures.

Just 27 per cent support the latest proposal revealed on Wednesday for a 45m x 220m extension to Halsey Wharf to house Team New Zealand and one other syndicate, possibly Luna Rossa.

Under the latest scheme, agreed to by Economic Minister David Parker and Mayor Phil Goff and revealed by Team New Zealand, additional bases will be built on the old tank farm at Wynyard Point as syndicates are confirmed.

Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton said it looked like the plan could work, but there were still problems that have to be resolved.

Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesman Michael Goldwater said: "The numbers couldn't be clearer, Aucklanders don't want an America's Cup Village that involves paving over our harbour."

Parker pointed out the latest proposal was the cheapest of four options put forward with a 9900sq m extension of the Halsey St Wharf, while other options would have seen intrusions of 22,800sq m.

Goldwater said the 9900sq m extension was the size of a rugby field.

"It's a far cry from what the people of Auckland want, which is not a metre more of our harbour lost.

"Parker has said that his preference is for the option with the least cost and the least encroachment into the harbour. That's also what the people of Auckland want, and there is now real pressure for the Government and Council to deliver it," Goldwater said.

He said Wednesday's proposal showed that all the bases for the America's Cup challengers could easily fit on Wynyard Point, saying there is a real risk the council will lose public goodwill for the America's Cup by continuing to push out into the Waitemata.

The poll was conducted by Curia Market Research on Wednesday after the announcement of the latest proposal. It sampled 500 people and has a 4.4 per cent margin of error.

A spokesman for Parker said he would let the poll speak for itself.

A Team New Zealand spokesman questioned whether poll participants were shown the latest plan.

If they were not shown the plan, one needed to ask who wrote the questions, who paid for the poll and why were they phrased as they were, he said.

The spokesman said they would continue with accelerated and positive meetings with the council and Government, saying rapid and constructive progress is being made.