Marine zone debate all at sea

By ROBIN BAILEY

The viability of the Westhaven-Viaduct marine industry cluster continues to come under threat as landowners lobby to rezone the area for residential purposes.

Viaduct Harbour Holdings Ltd, Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL) and America's Cup Village Ltd (ACVL) have set up the Auckland Waterfront Advisory Group (AWAG).

This self-appointed organisation is preparing a master plan for the land and marina areas between Auckland's Harbour Bridge and the Maritime Museum.

Infrastructure Auckland, which has an 80 per cent shareholding in Ports of Auckland and owns ACVL, is helping to fund and drive the advisory group process.

The group has employed consultants to present a submission to Auckland City Council in March next year.

It will include a request to change the Western Reclamation's present marine and port-related zoning to a classification allowing intensive residential development and mixed use.

Spokesmen for the associations representing the area's marine businesses - the Boating Industry Association (BIA) and the Westhaven-Viaduct Tenants and Ratepayers Association (WVTRA) - say they welcome the chance for co-ordinated development, but are concerned about the direction taken in concept plans.

Peter Walker, chairman of the BIA precinct committee, says the challenge is to integrate all the stakeholders' requirements.

The advisory group is producing a master plan and it must now respond with defined concepts that show the marine industry can co-exist, develop and expand alongside other uses.

Tenant and ratepayers' group chairman Lloyd Klee says the concepts have not moved on from those publicised in the AWAG Think Tank Bulletin of September 8.

"After months of consultation, AWAG has not applied any points raised by our association.

"The concepts continue to show multiple residential apartments beside shallow canals which corral the marine industry into a small area that will not accommodate existing businesses or allow expansion."

This is despite the Boating Industry Association providing the results of a survey on business activity and needs in the area.

It confirmed most marine businesses wish to cater for up to 100 per cent growth in the next five years.

"Our association represents 48 companies, including America's Cup defenders Team New Zealand, and it remains concerned that a viable marine cluster that meshes with the national marine industry will be sacrificed for the sake of short-term profits generated by residential rezoning."

Terry Gillespie, immediate past-chairman of the tenants and ratepayers group, and director of Southern Spars, says AWAG's concept drawings are big on lifestyle scenes, but are short of realistic commercial settings and economic information.

"It remains a bone of contention that AWAG will not conduct an economic impact study to support its master plan."

Southern Spars is one of the many marine companies that together contribute more than $500 million in exports a year and are positioned to achieve $1 billion in exports by 2005 if growth is allowed.

It has orders for carbon fibre superyacht and racing rigs extending to 2005, and to meet demand it must double its manufacturing facility and employ another 50 people.

However, it is unable to develop new buildings or secure sites with long-term leases.

Gillespie says Ports of Auckland's refusal to negotiate long-term leases until the advisory process is complete - a process that could take years - is suffocating industry growth and will force businesses out.

"Unfortunately there are no alternatives, because the proposed Hobsonville Marine Park is still in the concept stage and other waterfront areas will eventually come under the same residential pressure as Westhaven and the Viaduct."

Gillespie says the tenants and ratepayers group is responding to the rezoning debate with its Strategic Westhaven-Viaduct campaign, aiming for development that allows for improved public access within the present marine and port-related structure.