ARC backs big headland park proposal

The Auckland Regional Council has upped the ante for more public open space at the Tank Farm by proposing a park over about half the headland jutting out into the Waitemata Harbour.

The ARC park is larger than a long, narrow area proposed by the Auckland City Council, which is under pressure to preserve the headland and not succumb to building apartments to fund the largest waterfront development in Auckland's history.

Under the ARC proposal, a park would extend from the cluster of tanks at the northern end of Wynyard Wharf to the top of the headland, an area of about 5ha.

The city council proposal on the eastern side of the headland was between 3ha and 4ha. Nearby Victoria Park is 9ha.

The proposal was welcomed by the Heart of the City business group, which has been campaigning against apartments on the headland. Chief executive Alex Swney called the proposal a "major step forward".

It also follows a flood of more than 750 public submissions on the last day for the public to have a say on the city council's concept plan for the Tank Farm. More than 1400 submissions have been made.

Mayor Dick Hubbard said the submissions still had to be analysed but the loud and clear message was for more open space and wide walkways.

He said the council was "looking at the possibility of more open space" before notifying a district plan change on May 31 to rezone the 35ha Tank Farm from marine industrial to a combination of marine, commercial, residential and open space use.

ARC chairman Mike Lee yesterday told a council meeting on the Tank Farm that he regarded the headland as regionally significant.

Rather than squandering resources on a long, skinny park, it would be better to build one at the headland with uninterrupted views to the north, west and east and large enough for an iconic building.

Councillor Sandra Coney said the plan would not only create a significant amount of open space but preserve sightlines along the waterfront from the city to the harbour bridge.

About 18ha of prime waterfront land at the Tank Farm came into public ownership last year when the ARC bought the remaining private shares in Ports of Auckland through its investment arm, Auckland Regional Holdings. The city council owns 8.4ha of roads. The remainder is owned by the private sector.

The city council has said there would be a "significant increase in the cost to ratepayers" from more open space but provided no figures to back up this statement. It has put a ballpark figure of $400 million to create parks, transport and other infrastructure.

The council has been secretive about the costs and has yet to provide the ARC with a long-term funding model showing contributions from the public and private sectors based on financial models and principles of equity, fairness and affordability.

The ports company has also produced its own plans for its 18ha of waterfront land, which is dominated by apartments and includes a 1.3ha park on the headland.

An ARC report said the location of a stormwater feature in the port company's plans could have the unintended effect of "privatising the northern part of the reclamation".

The report said there was a need to avoid the appropriation of public spaces for private uses, citing a viewing platform at the end of Princes Wharf which has restricted public access.