KEY POINTS:
The Auckland Fish Market will be driven away by a lack of car-parking space and apartments right up against its processing plant under plans for the Tank Farm, says Sanford managing director Eric Barratt.
The head of one of New Zealand's largest fishing companies yesterday said the objective
to make the Auckland Fish Market part of the waterfront redevelopment at the Tank Farm was not reflected in a plan change for the area.
Mr Barratt was speaking to the Herald during public hearings to rezone the 35ha Tank Farm from an industrial wasteland into a classy waterfront.
The plans include creating a new 4.25ha park at the tip of the Tank Farm jutting into the harbour.
The park would be linked all the way to Victoria Park via a 40m-wide promenade. The project would have a large component of apartments, while retaining areas for the fishing and marine industries.
"In a nutshell the objectives of the plan encourages us to be here with a vibrant working fishing, retail, fish market concept, but what has been delivered will ultimately drive us away," Mr Barratt said.
He said parking issues were a huge concern for Sanford, which had been on its site since the 1920s and finished investing $25 million four years ago redeveloping its wholesale auction market, building a new seafood plant, retail fish market and seafood school in Jellicoe St.
Sanford had 135 carparks on its site, but the imminent loss of 141 of the 183 carparking spaces in Jellicoe St and nearby streets would have a big effect on people - especially retail customers - going to the fish market.
Sanford was also concerned about the loss of 20m of its site to widen Daldy St as the main promenade through the Tank Farm. But that appears to have been resolved by a new proposal to widen the road on the western side of Daldy St, away from the fishing market.
Mr Barratt said the company was also concerned at the density of housing butting up against the rear of its business where trucks came and went all hours of the day and night.
That would create difficulties between Sanford and residents to fulfil an economic agenda by Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council, he said.
Mr Barratt said Sanford was constrained by fishing quotas, but population growth in Auckland was leading to an increase in seafood consumption. The company was already pressed for space, and other retailers wanted to become part of the fish market.
John Dalzell, project director of the public company overseeing the project, Sea + City, said he was aware of Sanford's concerns about parking.
One option was to develop a vacant site across the road from the fish market into a short-term public carpark.
In a written submission to the planning commissioners considering the plan change, Mr Dalzell said creating a retail and entertainment strip on both sides of Jellicoe St was essential.
"We envisage that this will provide the fishing industry and retailers sufficient opportunities for growth of retail and market activities sought after by the public."
Mr Dalzell said steps had begun to reduce parking limits on Jellicoe St from four hours to one hour.
That would stop people using the area as long-term parking close to the city and make it more accessibleto retail customers visiting the fish market.
THE WORRIES
* Shortage of carparks for Auckland Fish Market.
* Apartments right up against fish processing plant.
* Retailers shut out of booming fish sales.
