Debate has started on whether the proposed America's Cup bases are a good or bad thing for the Auckland waterfront.
Images of the bases, including large boat sheds and a permanent building for Team New Zealand, have surfaced in the resource consent application for the cup infrastructure.
The consent is for Auckland Council's favoured Wynyard Basin option for a cluster of bases on a 75m extension to Halsey Wharf, a 75m extension to Hobson wharf, and on the existing Wynyard Wharf.
As much as you can put lipstick on a pig to look good they are still sheds
Images show well-designed temporary shed structures up to 14m in height and a permanent, three-storey building on the end of Hobson Wharf for Team New Zealand.
The application also contains a number of before and after images showing the impacts of the proposed bases from a number of locations on the waterfront.
Architectural drawings of the proposed America's Cup base for Team New Zealand on Hobson Wharf.
The proposed bases have been designed by Moller Architects, whose director Gordon Moller designed the Sky Tower.
In a design statement attached to the consent application, Moller said the design philosophy was based on a maritime village environment that respects the existing waterfront.
But Michael Goldwater, of Stop Stealing Our Harbour, describes the plans as an industrial shed farm that blocks views to the harbour.
"As much as you can put lipstick on a pig to look good, they are still sheds.
"The America's Cup is a great opportunity for Auckland to invigorate and de-industrialise more of the waterfront, not re-industrialise the waterfront and spoil the great urban design we have got down there," said Goldwater.
Architectural drawings of the proposed America's Cup bases on the extensions to Hobson Wharf and Halsey Wharf.
The consent, a huge document with more than 50 supporting reports, will be fast-tracked directly to the Environment Court under a tight timetable for construction to start in September this year and completed for the first team's arrival at the back end of 2019.
Contractors will have to work 24 hours a day, six or seven days a week to build the America's Cup bases within 18 months, say experts.
Engineering firm Beca says the time frame to build the bases in time for the arrival in Auckland of the first syndicates at the back end of next year is challenging due to the large size of the job.
"Due to the short construction period of 18 months, use of precast concrete is expected to be maximised and a 24 hours/day, 6-7 days/week construction period will be required," says an infrastructure report by Beca.
A second report by the engineering firm says there are only likely to be three or four New Zealand-based main contractors capable of building the bases within the time frame and it may require a joint venture to pool resources and expertise.
The application has been prepared while Economic Development Minister David Parker continues to investigate an alternative land-based option on Wynyard Point, the old Tank Farm site to the west of Wynyard Basin.
Parker told the Herald this week the point option will come down to HASNO (hazardous substances and new organisms) issues related to the southern end of Wynyard Point.
"It may not work out but it's certainly worth looking at because if those issues can be resolved, it could well be a cheaper option by many millions of dollars.
