Marine centre idea floated

A major new marine events centre and an expanded retail area have been proposed as part of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the Auckland waterfront.

Details of the much-anticipated draft plan will be announced tomorrow when the Auckland Regional and Auckland City councils put the plan out for public consultation and feedback.

This draft plan covers the area stretching from the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Mechanics Bay, including the Viaduct Basin, wharves, ferry facilities, and Ports of Auckland.

Although details of the proposal are being kept under tight wraps until tomorrow, a key aspect of the plan is a major new marine events centre that will extend the current facilities in the Viaduct.

Auckland deputy mayor Dr Bruce Hucker said the facility would give the city the capacity to easily host large marine events like the America's Cup.

"Our aim is to make the area a thriving marine centre," he said.

Development of new retail areas and residential housing are also expected to be a major part of the new waterfront plan, along with improved access and new waterfront walks. However, even before the plan is announced, the critics are lining up, claiming the council should just get on with developing the waterfront rather than embarking on more consultation.

Heart of the City chief executive officer Alex Swney said the council had gone through a major consultation exercise just a few years ago on the same area.

"It was enormous and must have cost a fortune. I hope they are going to pick that work up and run with it because bureaucracies are famous for consulting, then putting it all in the bottom drawer and consulting again," he said.

"I think consultation is often just an excuse to do nothing. What we need is effective leadership. I would prefer an imperfect plan carried out today than a perfect plan never carried out."

Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett agreed, saying: "The navel-gazing environment we can drag ourselves into where we consult down to the lowest common denominator is the easy path for those who don't have bravery associated with their leadership."

But Dr Hucker promised there would be strong leadership throughout the process.

He said although there already had been extensive consultation on plans for the waterfront, it had to be done again to ensure regional council input.

Dr Hucker said he did not know how much the earlier consultation on the waterfront had cost the council, or what the bill would be for this latest round.

- Herald on Sunday