Council set to endorse $1b spending plan

Five projects to change Auckland.

Nearly $1 billion worth of public spending to boost the economy and jobs across the region will be endorsed by Auckland Council today.

One of the five big projects - Massey North in the city's northwest - has the potential to outstrip the Albany retail and residential development.

The Super City has inherited them from the merger of seven former councils, which chose the projects and put them in future years' budgets.

The new council's Future Vision Committee is being briefed today on what the $955 million total spending involves.

All the projects were valuable for the sustainable economic growth of Auckland, said the council's chief planning officer, Roger Blakeley.

"They involve prior agreements with private-sector developers, so it is important that they are carried on."

He said the Auckland Plan set a bold goal of a GDP increase of between 5 and 6 per cent a year and that would need strong action by the council and the private sector.

The projects were within the council's role to foster economic development by setting up new town centres and community facilities to create encouraging conditions for developers.

Projects such as that in New Lynn matched the plan by creating opportunities for acceptable intensive housing around the new transport interchange, Dr Blakeley said. "It helps to accommodate an extra 645,000 people who will live in Auckland in 30 years' time in a quality, compact city rather than sprawling across the metropolitan urban limits."

The Northern Strategic Growth Area project covers 1752 ha of Massey North, Westgate and Hobsonville.

It is proposed the council spends $325 million over a decade on top of spending by Government agencies and private developers, such as the NZ Retail Property Group.

Massey North Town Centre, at 100ha, will be larger than Albany and have 5770 jobs and 7000 residents - as well as an employment area for 3000 jobs along Hobsonville Rd.

The council has added 20ha to a marine industry precinct.

In New Lynn, spending of $127.8 million is proposed to support private developers revitalise the town for 20,000 residents and 14,000 employees by 2030.

In southeast Auckland, the Flat Bush project will take $130 million for the council's part in the proposed 1700ha staged development, for a gain of 6000 jobs and 14,000 homes by 2025.

The council owns 285ha of the land which it will use for parks and stormwater management, transport and a library. It owns most of a proposed 18ha town centre to be developed by Todd Property.

In east Auckland, the Tamaki Transformation Programme covers Panmure to Otahuhu. About $373 million is committed over the years to 2019.

The council hopes to work with Auckland University's Tamaki campus and the Government on setting up a science and technology park.

Council works proposals range from a $5.3 million Otahuhu library and a $4.9 million revamp of Glen Innes pool to the $381 million Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative.

Already, it is spending $7.5 million in reserves in Todd Property's Stonefields development for 6000 residents.

North of Albany, the council has a budget of $3.3 million for sports fields and roading in the Silverdale North development, which includes a new town centre, pool, hospital and 2000 homes.