Secret report reveals corridor options

By ANNE BESTON

Hundreds more Auckland property owners are likely to face months of uncertainty from a secret report revealing proposals for Auckland's billion-dollar eastern highway that cover a far wider area than first thought.

The Herald has obtained a report by eastern corridor project director and Opus consultant Grant Kirby showing a further five options for the $1.9 billion to $2.9 billion highway, including a Parnell option with a $400 million tunnel; a route along Auckland's waterfront over Hobson Bay; a route through Orakei; one through Meadowbank; and one through Pakuranga.

In his report to the eastern corridor steering group, which includes Auckland City Mayor John Banks and Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis, Mr Kirby said a number of "previously unidentified properties" would be affected by alternative routes up for consideration.

"It is therefore imperative that a preferred option be developed as soon as possible in order to give a greater degree of certainty to property owners," the report says.

Included on the "short list" of alternatives is a "Parnell tunnel corridor" starting at Stanley St in the city, travelling northeast past the Auckland Domain, over Parnell Rd and then a bridge over or tunnel under Hobson Bay through to St Kentigern School and ending up at Orakei Basin.

Another is the "Kepa Rd corridor" from the waterfront at Hobson Bay to Ngapipi Rd, along Kepa Rd and past Selwyn College, ending at St Johns Rd.

The "Quarry corridor" would run from Meadowbank over Remuera golf course and through to the east of Mt Wellington.

Further south, options being considered are the "SH1 corridor" link from Mt Wellington over the Panmure-Ellerslie Highway then west of Panmure Basin over Waipuna Rd, coming out at the Southern Motorway at the Mt Wellington interchange.

The "Tamaki River corridor" starts to the south of Panmure Basin near Waipuna Rd and goes along the Pakuranga motorway to link to Te Rakau Drive.

The "Ti Rakau Drive corridor", already flagged by planners, travels the length of Ti Rakau Drive, ending at the southern end of Botany Rd.

Two alternatives are proposed further south to cross the Tamaki River, one from Dunkirk Reserve across to Farm Cove and then in a loop east of Pakuranga's Lloyd Elsmore Park down to Golflands.

The other is south of the Pakuranga motorway crossing, beginning near the Southern Motorway at Mt Wellington and travelling directly southeast over the Tamaki River into East Tamaki's light industrial area.

All alternatives link to the "Te Irirangi corridor", previously outlined by planners and running from the Botany Downs area down between Flat Bush and Chapel Downs to Manukau City.

The range of options is far wider than the "Eastdor" plan unveiled last year which flagged the demolition of around 200 homes, mostly in Pakuranga.

Yesterday, Mr Banks was quick to reassure Aucklanders they would be fully consulted.

"Sir Barry Curtis and I are in charge and everything is under control," he said.

"We are committed to public consultation and we're committed to making sure every single option has been investigated and doing things once and doing them right for the Environment Court."

Sir Barry said it was almost inevitable the project would end up before the court and that was why all the options had to be canvassed, no matter how "stupid, unreasonable or impractical" they were.

"I would also say anyone who can claim to be affected by the proposals has now got to seriously make a submission through the consultation process."

Mr Banks also urged those who would be affected to make their views known when the options are officially unveiled next month and the "stage II" round of consultation begins.