The Environment Court has re-scheduled mediation between the parties battling each other over Auckland Harbour Bridge's new $33.5 million SkyPath project.
A court note said a November 3 mediation had now been moved to December 8, 9 and 11.
The Herne Bay Residents Association, Northcote Residents Association, Northcote Point Heritage Preservation Society and Auckland Council are due to meet at the court then to discuss the scheme for a shared pedestrian and cycling path attached to the side of the bridge.
The residents' groups are appealing the consent which allows the construction, maintenance and operation of the pathway from Northcote Point to Westhaven.
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"The mediation set down for Tuesday, 3 November 2015 is vacated and re-scheduled to Tuesday, 8 December 2015," the court note said. "This mediation is to occur on a joint basis with all parties in attendance, to 'workshop' the issues and produce an agreed agenda. This mediation is to involve a discussion as a group of any issues that relate to the project as a whole (i.e. that are not confined to a single landing point)."
Two further days are also scheduled in December: "Wednesday, [December] 9 to Friday, 11 December will be set aside for separate mediation sessions to address issues unique to each land point. A final group mediation session will be required but a date for this can be agreed upon at the initial mediation session," the note said.
In July, the bridge attachment got resource consent and Mayor Len Brown described that as "a real game changer" for the city.
"This exciting project is another part of the physical uniting of Auckland. Besides being of enormous benefit to cyclists, it's a fabulous opportunity for Aucklanders and visitors to the city to walk across and have great views of our spectacular harbour," he said then.
The planning commissioners' decision followed a June hearing on the scheme.
The community initiative is planned to be financed by private sector funding as well as potentially by the council. Users are to pay an entrance fee to fund its construction and operation.
The covered pathway - set to be a minimum 4m wide but extending to 6m at five viewing platforms - could cost between $2 and $4 each way and will connect into the new Westhaven walking and cycling promenade, where pedestrians, joggers and cyclists can get to the city via Wynyard Quarter.
But the residents' groups are fighting the scheme and also recently opposed the inclusion of two pro-cycling lobby groups Generation Zero and Cycle Action Auckland in appeals against the resource consent being granted. But they lost that battle and the two groups were granted a waiver to become involved.