Central Auckland Reborn: Experts answer your questions on the future of the city

In a special livestream Q&A at 12pm today, three experts will discuss what's on the cards for the future of Auckland. Post your question to the experts in the comments at the bottom of the page and tune in at midday on the NZ Herald website or on our Facebook page.

Auckland, much like all of us, has been through a lot. Two years of pandemic, combined with major infrastructure projects and social and demographic changes, have transformed the fabric of the inner city in some truly fundamental ways.

Crime is on the rise, shops are empty, people don't feel as safe in Auckland as they used to feel. Construction sites are an eyesore in what was once a vibrant city.

But while all these changes have had a negative impact on the city, there is also a lot of room for opportunity as we look towards the future and the Auckland Aucklanders deserve.

Today's Q&A is part of the NZ Herald's special series Central Auckland Reborn, which looks at what is happening in the city centre - and where things can go to from here.

Frith Walker, Head of Placemaking at Eke Panuku Development Auckland, Chlöe Swarbrick, MP for Auckland Central, and Tania Loveridge, Head of Advocacy and Engagement for Heart of the City will join host Simon Wilson to discuss the challenges and the opportunities Auckland faces today.

Panel guests Chlöe Swarbrick, Frith Walker, and Tania Loveridge. Photo / NZME/Supplied

Central Auckland has changed - here are some numbers

There are many metrics that tell the story of Covid-19's devastating impact on Auckland's city centre.

Foot traffic fell a whopping 95 per cent during last year's Delta lockdown.

Reports of crime in the central city have risen by 36 per cent, when compared with pre-pandemic levels.

Consumer spending dropped by as much as 35 per cent, starving retail and hospitality businesses.

A recent count found almost 40 shops along Queen St now sit empty.

The number of people employed in the city centre dropped by 7 per cent between 2020 and 2021.

Its residential population reportedly fell by 20,000 thanks to an exodus of students.

Working from home vs the office

Throughout much of the pandemic, working from home became the norm as people did their utmost to dodge the virus while making sure the world kept spinning.

As social restrictions dropped following Covid-19's growing prevalence in New Zealand, companies are left to manage what a normal working week looks like post-pandemic.

There aren't definitive statistics that show how many of the city centre's employees pre-pandemic still work from the office.

However, what is known is the two industries with the largest presence in the CBD - Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (29.6 per cent) and Financial and Insurance Services (14.9 per cent) - tend to be office-based and may lend themselves to remote working.

According to Auckland Council chief economist Gary Blick, that indicated there could still be a strong contingent yet to return to work in person.

Fewer people in the CBD had flow-on effects for retail and hospitality businesses, evident in the drop in consumer spending.

Despite this, Blick is optimistic market forces will find a balance.

With more office space, Blick anticipates companies could either invest to make their working environments more lucrative, leave them open for newcomers eyeing a spot in the CBD or open the door for redevelopment into residential properties.

"I don't think we should get into assuming that the outlook is grim for the city centre," Blick says.

"I think there's a tendency to magnify current symptoms and assume that represents the future, but it's a location of choice for a number of large firms and there's a reason for that."

Matthew Cockram, chief executive of Britomart developers Cooper and Company, says companies are going through a "transition phase" in determining working arrangements.

To encourage people to come into the CBD, Cockram says he and other landowners have employed more security, in the hope it preserves a safe and secure atmosphere for their employees and the wider public.

"What it really means for us as a landlord is we have to really work hard on creating an attractive and alluring environment for people to come into."

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