By NATASHA HARRIS
Auckland planning commissioners have approved the $80 million SuperDome.
The commissioners, Mike Hayman and Greg Hill, yesterday gave their decision on an application by Abigroup, the Australian company building the 12,500-seat indoor arena - with 164 carparks - on old railway land between Parnell and the central
city.
The project will go ahead without formal notification and the hearing of objections.
The Auckland City Council says it has had six years of consultation on the project, and Abigroup has met the council's parking, design and traffic impact requirements.
Parnell Community Committee secretary David Grove said the decision ignored the lack of parking, and many residents did not know about the consultation period.
"People have said that this is the first they have heard about it, especially regarding the parking.
"There is an existing problem with inadequate parking ...
"If the council says it doesn't require parking because people will use public transport, why would it spend a billion dollars to build an eastern highway?"
Mr Grove said the decision was disappointing as residents expected to have a say on issues affecting their area and involving ratepayers' money.
"We didn't necessarily oppose an arena, but let's go through the processes."
The council approved the 164 carparking spaces as it wants to encourage patrons to use public transport to get to and from the stadium.
Stadium-users with cars are expected to park in nearby Parnell streets and public transport users will have to walk 800m from the Britomart train station.
An executive member of the Society for the Protection of Auckland City and Waterfront, Don McRae, also said he was disappointed that the public would not be consulted, as the stadium was a public building.
"It's unfortunate for Auckland that the citizens have far less a say in a building of this significance than Wellingtonians and Christchurch people had when the Cake Tin [WestpacTrust Stadium] and the art gallery were being designed and built.
"I'm worried that the public won't feel real ownership because they haven't been adequately consulted.
Mr McRae said he was most concerned about pedestrian access between the stadium and the city.
He said the footpath would have to be widened for the thousands of stadium-users walking to the Britomart station.
The council's planning services director, Jill McPherson, said a resource consent, to be issued in a few weeks, would outline any conditions to the non-notification decision.
A commercial deal, due at the end of August, and building consent, due at the end of the year, were also needed before building could start.
She said if the building consent was approved, building would start early next year and take 18 months.
Abigroup plans to borrow $23 million of its $30 million contribution to the building, and the council will financing the rest.
The SuperDome
* Seats: 12,500
* Carparks: 164
* Walk from city carparks: 15 minutes plus
* Likely solution: Shuttle buses
By NATASHA HARRIS
Auckland planning commissioners have approved the $80 million SuperDome.
The commissioners, Mike Hayman and Greg Hill, yesterday gave their decision on an application by Abigroup, the Australian company building the 12,500-seat indoor arena - with 164 carparks - on old railway land between Parnell and the central
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