Film idea stirs row over prime land

The council's property arm says houses, apartments, a shopping and commercial centre could be built on the land, but the council's economic development arm wants a film campus. Photo / Newstalk ZB

Auckland Council bureaucrats are at odds over whether 20ha of land at Hobsonville Point should be used for housing or a film studio campus.

The council's property arm says 441 houses and apartments, and a shopping and commercial centre, could be built on the land with a tidy $34 million profit for ratepayers.

But the council's economic development arm wants to commit 10ha of the land for a film campus, saying it could provide 435 jobs annually and generate $483 million to the Auckland economy over 25 years.

The other 10ha will provide about 315 homes under the Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development plan.

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Tomorrow, councillors will decide what to do with the prime council-owned piece of real estate, which is part of a development in West Auckland where more than 3000 new homes are planned.

First up, the Auckland Development Committee is expected to ditch plans going back to the former Waitakere City Council to establish a marine industry precinct on the land to build superyachts.

The failure of the marine industry to come up with firm proposals has freed up the land for housing or a mix of film use and housing.

A report, going to the committee, contains the full housing package, recommended by Auckland Council Property Ltd (ACPL); and the film campus/housing option, recommended by Ateed.

The report said there was no inherently "right" or "wrong" option, but "considerable risk around uncertainty going forward".

ACPL, which is responsible for managing the land, said it has a masterplan for the block, involving high density housing and apartments over 14ha and 6ha for shops and commercial use.

Between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the housing would be in the affordable category. Significant wastewater, stormwater and roading networks are already in place.

Ateed said the film studio campus would meet a gap in Auckland's studio infrastructure by providing larger, higher quality space than currently available.

Graham Dunster, an actors' agent and Film Auckland board member, said a new film studio at Hobsonville made a lot of sense.

It would boost the number of overseas films being shot in Auckland and make the industry more vibrant.