KEY POINTS:
The Auckland Regional Council will today make an announcement on the future of the Tank Farm on Wynyard Wharf and the wider waterfront.
Chairman Mike Lee said the debate on the waterfront stadium showed people wanted views of the sea, Rangitoto Island and ships.
"Whether they want access all over the wharves is another thing.
"Clearly, a lot of people do and we are mindful of that sentiment but also mindful that the wharves are critical infrastructure for Auckland's and the country's economy."
The promise of an announcement, kept under wraps until today, comes after mounting pressure to open up the waterfront.
Mr Lee said one reason for segregating wharves and public that had been overlooked was the stringent security measures required by the United States of America of all its trading partners.
But on Monday, Auckland MPs from across the political spectrum backed the call for more access to the city's waterfront. And people who run businesses there have added their calls for more access to the harbour's edge.
Late last century, developments such as Viaduct Harbour, Princes Wharf and the restoration of the old Ferry Buildings lured a handful of hospitality entrepreneurs to a part of town that was then a new frontier.
Their foresight has been rewarded, they say, and others have followed.
"The Viaduct has given the city a heart," said John Hellebrekers of Degree Gastrobar.
"It has created an area for people to walk around and enjoy the city.
"But at first, there were only three of us here and tourists asked: 'Where is your waterfront area?' and we'd say: 'This is it'.
"Now, it's not only tourists who come here, it's Aucklanders as well."
Their views were sought as part of the Herald's series on opening up the waterfront after the collapse of the world cup stadium plan.
Mr Hellebrekers said he supported opening up more of the waterfront to people if it resulted in a mix of open spaces where people could come for events, market days and picnics, as well as hospitality and entertainment businesses.
Loaded Hog general manager Michael Gill said enlarging the waterfront public areas and providing them with more restaurants and bars was not seen as a negative for the 13-year-old business.
"We are looking at revamping and are not afraid of competition from further development of the waterfront," he said. "You can't replicate another Viaduct. It has the type of good operators who bring people here."
Judith Tabron of Soul Bar and Bistro in the Viaduct said it would be a great thing for Auckland to have the wharves open along Quay St at least to opposite Foodtown.
She said Sydney had shown what could be done with the Woolloomooloo Wharf entertainment and apartment development. "The W Hotel and all the restaurants up and down ... they all do great business.
"The Viaduct is still the only place in Auckland where you can interface with the water without a road in the way and there should be more places."
She said a park for children would be a boon for parents on their waterfront strolls because the nearest park with swings and slides was a ferry ride away at Devonport. "The idea is to make the waterfront more vibrant."
Martina Cavanagh, of O'Hagans Irish Pub, which has been at the Viaduct for six years, supported freeing up some of Ports of Auckland's wharf space.
"I'm all for it if it means bringing people into the area.
"They should be able to have a working port and a vibrant, active waterfront."
On Princes Wharf, Neptune Seafood Restaurant manager "Yen" doubted that businesses would benefit greatly from extending the public's waterfront domain.
Along at the Ferry Buildings, Harbourside restaurant owner Jimmy Gerard said the neighbouring Ports land needed to be made "people-friendly".
"It's an eyesore ... a container wharf and a large square ship that brought Japanese import cars."
He supported a plan for a park and theatres rather than more restaurants and bars.
