Auckland Transport confirms 475 properties will be hit by new airport route in Auckland

Ali Shakir fears he could lose his Botany home as a result of the Airport to Botany Rapid Transit Project. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland Transport says 475 property owners along the planned Botany to Auckland Airport transport route have received letters saying their property is affected by the draft designation boundary.

Some residents have also been told they have to hand over their homes for the construction of the project.

Shocked and upset residents have written to AT, MPs and even the Prime Minister seeking the project to be stalled, and are hoping a meeting with representatives from the Supporting Growth Alliance (a collaboration between AT and Waka Kotahi NZTA) will bring some answers.

The Herald understands the meeting will take place this afternoon at the Puhinui Station at 4.15pm.

However an AT spokeswoman said there was currently no funding to progress the project into the detailed design and construction phase.

“This means that currently no properties are required to be purchased by either AT or Waka Kotahi,” she said.

“The purchase of the properties tends to be approximately two to five years before construction starts, which is currently estimated in the next 10-15 years. The value of the homes will be determined at this time using fair market value as set out in the Public Works Act 1981.”

Resident Ali Shakir, who met with AT representatives earlier this month, had written a “formal demand” asking for the project to be stopped until its full impact could be investigated.

Shakir, an author, came to New Zealand as a refugee in 2008 after being forced to flee his family home in war-torn Iraq. He had an 80-year-old mother and he said they were traumatised by the planned development.

In a letter to AT, he said: “When I urged you to make changes to spare us...you refused to listen and told me to ‘sacrifice for Auckland’. If this is not a shameful demonstration of double standards, I don’t know what is.”

The AT spokeswoman said properties on roads impacted include Te Irirangi Drive, Great South Rd, Ronwood Ave, Davies Ave, Manukau Station Rd, Lambie Drive, Cambridge Tce, Kenderdine Pl, Bridge St and Puhinui Rd.

“The route protection phase...is approximately 14.7km - of the broader 18kn project - which extends from Botany Town Centre in the vicinity of Haven Drive to Orrs Road in the Puhinui peninsula off SH20B,” she said.

“The project primarily involves the upgrade and widening of existing transport corridors to provide for a separated bus rapid transit corridor and high-quality walking and cycling facilities.”

She said as part of the project, SH20B is proposed to be widened to provide eastbound lanes to Auckland Airport, walking and cycling facilities and a ramp from SH20B on to SH20 for southbound traffic.

A total of nine bus rapid transit stations are proposed as part of the project, AT said.

The final decision on the project has not yet been made, AT said, and the proposed designation will be subject to the Resource Management Act process led by Auckland Council.

“This will provide a formal opportunity for people to make a submission and present at a hearing,” said the AT spokeswoman.

“We are continuing to engage with stakeholders including Botany Town Centre and landowners, including Mr Shakir himself.”

The spokeswoman said today’s meeting was being led by Manurewa MP Arena Williams.

“She has invited reps from Supporting Growth Alliance to attend. Her office is managing it.”