The debate on where to base the America's Cup bases in Auckland goes on.
The debate on where to base the America's Cup bases in Auckland goes on.
Auckland councillors are today being asked to approve a location for the America's Cup bases while the Government continues to investigate a different location.
Mayor Phil Goff is expected to follow the advice of officers and support the Wynyard Basin location that involves a 75m extension to Halsey Wharf anda 75m extension to Hobson Wharf.
Last month, Auckland Council narrowed down the base location for the 36th America's Cup to a land-based option on Wynyard Point and Wynyard Wharf known as the Wynyard Point option, or an extension to Halsey Wharf and Hobson Wharf along with bases on Wynyard Wharf known as the Wynyard Basin option.
Staff consider that these are significant issues to address and represent serious challenges to deliverability
Both Team New Zealand and Auckland Council have previously signalled support for the Wynyard Basin option.
The Government is not convinced about the environmental downsides of the Wynyard Basin option and is continuing to explore Wynyard Point.
In a report for today's governing body meeting, council officers say this option has a number of risks, including being sandwiched between hazardous substance facilities, prohibitive costs to break existing leases, contamination issues and road closures.
While Government and Auckland Council cannot agree on location for America's Cup bases, council is being urged to make a call so a resource consent can be lodged by mid-January. Photo / Brett Phibbs
"Staff consider that these are significant issues to address and represent serious challenges to deliverability.
"At the time of writing this report the Minister has committed to further investigation [of] the Wynyard Point (variant) option to ensure that he is confident that all options have been exhausted," said the officers' report to councillors.
Environment Minister David Parker, who has responsibility for the America's Cup, is in Buenos Aires in Argentina at a World Trade Organisation meeting as Trade Minister and could not be reached for comment.
Yesterday, a who's who of 50 Auckland architects and designers wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Parker and Goff supporting the Wynyard Point option.
They said Team New Zealand's preferred plan which included extending the wharves by 75m would come at a huge public cost and block panoramic views from Te Wero Island, the Vodafone Events Centre and the Maritime Museum.
The group said the Wynyard Point option would be a great opportunity to open up industrial waterfront land for further urban development in the future.
The Wynyard Point (variant) option would still involve a 74m extension to Hobson Wharf to accommodate one double base, but only a 15m extension of Halsey Wharf for two single bases, compared a 75m extension for four double bases under Wynyard Basin option.
It would also include three double and one single base on the eastern side of Wynyard Wharf and one base on the land-locked ASB car park site at Brigham St with an extension to Halsey Wharf and the sea.
The council is being urged to make a decision so a resource consent can be lodged by mid-January. The costs for planning and building the infrastructure will be finalised and negotiated between the council and Government in the New Year.
