Barmy Army's city home has to wait another day

Neighbours of an Auckland waterfront headquarters for Lions fans are still waiting for resource consent conditions to be tightened before dropping a legal challenge.

This is despite an announcement on Friday night by Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard that residents beside Viaduct Harbour had agreed not to press ahead with legal action to stop the Barmy Army setting up camp.

The announcement followed an urgent meeting he held with Lighter Quay Management Services, administrator of two luxury apartment blocks near the former America's Cup sheds where up to 6000 fans hope to gather.

Mr Hubbard said he and the residents worked hard at Friday's meeting to identify ways to reduce the proposal's impact without detracting from the event.

But yesterday, the residents were still waiting for an amended resource consent to be issued before withdrawing their application for a judicial review, and the High Court agreed to adjourn the case until late today.

The council would not disclose the proposed changes, but they are understood to include the addition of a soundproof barrier.

Another proposed new condition is understood to be for a council compliance officer to be present after 10pm, a task for which there is believed to be no shortage of volunteers.

The applicant for planning approval, Elite Events, issued a statement yesterday accepting that consultation did not take place with Lighter Quay Management before the application.

This followed its Friday night denial of Mr Hubbard's claim that it failed to consult residents, and an assurance that it modified its application in response.

A Lighter Quay spokesman said yesterday that, if residents had been consulted, "our group would have supported the proposal subject to reasonable changes to protect residents' rights."