Mount Albert residents block construction trucks in early morning protest

Fed up with years of construction trucks rumbling down their narrow street before dawn, Mount Albert residents staged an early-morning blockade today in an effort to force change.

At 6am, Laurel St residents parked cars across the road to stop construction vehicles accessing a nearby development site, saying months of complaints about noise, dust and property damage had gone unheard.

The developer, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, and Auckland Council said they were working to engage with frustrated residents.

Residents said they had put up with three years of early morning trucks, debris damaging homes and cars, and properties covered in red dust from the cutting of lava rocks.

Residents on Laurel St staged a protest this morning after three years of construction disruption. Photo / Michael Craig

The construction activity is part of the wider Carrington residential development on former Unitec land in Mt Albert.

The project is expected to transform about 40ha of the old campus into a large new urban neighbourhood over the next decade.

Today at 6am, residents gathered and parked three cars across the road.

As workers arrived, residents handed out pamphlets explaining the blockade.

A lone police officer arrived about 8am after reports of “unlawful activity” and spoke with those gathered. The residents moved their vehicles about 8.30am.

The protest was the “last resort”, according to resident Lara Bowen.

“We’ve spent months and months and months engaging with all the stakeholders, Ngāti Whātua [Ōrākei], Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, TDM Construction and many other stakeholders that use this site.

“Our message is that our street’s not being looked after, that our voices haven’t been heard, and we are solely taking the burden of the entire neighbourhood and construction in the narrowest street in Mount Albert.”

She said after tireless “political circles” and feeling like she and other residents’ voices had not been heard, they felt this morning’s protest was the only way to get their message across.

The early morning noise of trucks and heavy machinery was not the only issue.

Bowen said the breaking of lava rocks rang out across the street, often into the weekend, disrupting residents for months. Red dust from the cutting also coated the road, blowing into homes and settling over cars.

The trucks had also damaged cars as they squeezed down the narrow street, with a car losing its wing mirror and hubcap yesterday, Bowen claimed.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei senior development manager Alex Morrison was on site this morning. He said he had tried to engage with residents over the past few months, but a solution where all parties were satisfied had yet to be reached.

Morrison had spoken with Auckland Council about moving the access point to another street, and said a revised construction traffic management plan was due to be submitted this week.

Council environmental monitoring manager Robert Laulala said the traffic plan was the first step towards an alternate route for the construction vehicles.

“The council has heard residents’ concerns, and we can understand their frustrations.

“We have engaged with the developer and made them aware of what is required.

“Should an alternative access be granted, this would be on a trial basis while impacts of the alternative route are assessed.”

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