KEY POINTS:
Noise and shade from a new open stand to replace the terraces at Eden Park appear to be the final planning hurdles before work can begin on the 2011 Rugby World Cup project.
Auckland City planners are poring over a revised planning application for a $240.5 million upgrade of Eden Park to decide who, if anyone, needs to be consulted before final resource consent is granted.
The Eden Park Redevelopment Board has carefully been trying to fit within the terms of resource consent for an earlier, $320 million scheme, but has come up short in some areas.
A revised south stand neatly fits within the permitted building envelope. It is lower in height and set back further from the road, reducingshading and visual effects for neighbours.
But the board has issues to resolve for a new east stand with 8614 permanent seats to replace the Panasonic Stand and rundown terraces. The new stand will have a further 8000 temporary seats overhead for the 2011 cup.
To contain the level of noise spill from the PA system and crowds, the board is planning to build a partially or fully glazed noise barrier, hovering 8.5m above the 19.22m east stand. It will be future-proofed for a roof.
Documents lodged with the council by the board's planners, Hill Young Cooper, show the noise barrier generally fits below the maximum building height. The exception to this is in the northeast corner where it joins the ASB Stand by a distance of 47.4m up to 2.3m above the building height.
Hill Young Cooper have recommended changes to the south stand should not be publicly notified because of the "positive" nature of the reduced size and scale of the stand. Directly affected neighbours should get a limited say on other changes, including the new east stand, the company said.
Eden Park Neighbours' Association president Mark Donnelly said yesterday that he was waiting to see the application for changes to the conditions of resource consent, which was lodged just before Christmas, on December 21.
"We are trying to get our head around the shading impact and what the actual heights are going to be for the new east stand," he said.
Mr Donnelly said the noise from cricket was much worse than from rugby because of music pumped out over the PA system between overs.
The application shows Auckland Cricket will not be permanently moving from Eden Park as earlier proposed. Instead, it will vacate the number two ground during the period of redevelopment and the 2011 event, before returning.
This means a permanent bus terminal on part of the number two ground will not be built.
Instead it will be built on the southwest corner of the ground in an area used for carparking and coach parking.
Redevelopment board chief executive Adam Feeley said a public meeting was planned for neighbours next month to discuss the changes.
A council spokesman said planners had not decided whether to ask the board for more information or if any part of the changes would be notified.
The latest changes are not expected to affect the construction timetable. Work on expanding Eden Park from 47,000 to 60,000 seats to meet the International Rugby Board's requirements is expected to begin in August.
CHANGES TO DESIGN OF EDEN PARK
* Reduced size and scale of new south stand.
* New east stand with 8614 permanent seats replaces Panasonic Stand and terraces.
* Auckland Cricket to stay at Eden Park.
* New bus terminal in southwest corner.
