Bid for Viaduct HQ on fast track

Auckland City officials hope to make a recommendation to planning commissioners in the next day or so on a bid to establish waterfront headquarters for touring Lions rugby fans.

The supporters' club - the Barmy Army - fears running out of time for planning approval to set up base camp at the former Alinghi and Team New Zealand yacht sheds on the Viaduct Harbour, as the city council awaits a consultants' report.

This includes consideration of noise and traffic concerns raised by residents of nearby luxury apartments, and a suggestion that a pontoon be used as a foot-bridge across the viaduct to keep the rugby fans away from the neighbours.

But council central area planning manager Vijay Lala said last night he was well aware of the urgency pressing on the application and staff had worked "pretty feverishly" on it with consultants through the weekend.

"We hope we will be in a position to make a recommendation on the proposal in the next couple of days."

Mr Lala said although an independent panel had yet to be formally appointed to consider the proposal, a pool of commissioners was ready to deal with it as soon as a recommendation could be made.

It would then be up to the panel to decide if the application, by Elite Events, should be notified for formal objections or could be processed without such notification.

"We are working to process this as quickly and efficiently as we can but want to make sure that any recommendation we make, given the public interest, is robust enough to withstand any court challenge that might ensue," Mr Lala said.

Although residents' spokespeople could not be reached yesterday, it is understood some are alarmed at a proposed 3am cut-off to activities at the supporters' base on match nights and during the last week of the tour leading to the third test on July 9.

But Elite Events chief Tony Stevenson said no outdoor activities would take place after 11pm, and his organisation had worked hard to address residents' concerns.

A report by acoustics consultants Marshall Day in support of his application said noise at the nearest residences would comply with district plan standards, even assuming "a worst-case scenario of 5300 persons speaking simultaneously in raised to shouting voices".

The application said off-field facilities surrounding the Lions tour needed to be of an extremely high standard to cater properly for one of the largest sporting events seen in New Zealand for many years.

"The objective of the proposed facility is to provide a high-calibre event to host the Barmy Army that will show off the city and the country to the large number of overseas visitors expected."

The police are also keen on providing a single gathering point for the thousands of Lions fans expected without match tickets.