Schools, parks in highway's path

By BERNARD ORSMAN

Schools, shopping centres, golf clubs, parks and thousands of homes are in the path of Auckland City Mayor John Banks and Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis' planned highway through Auckland's eastern suburbs.

Auckland and Manukau councils have released a report leaked to the Herald earlier this month that outlines a range of options for the $1.9 billion to $2.9 billion eastern highway.

Nothing is sacrosanct in the report. Graves could be dug up in Purewa Cemetery; Remuera and Pakuranga golf clubs are in the mix; even one of Auckland's poshest streets, Paritai Drive, skirts one of the routes.

Other properties facing months of uncertainty until a final route is approved include the Eastridge and Meadowbank shopping centres, the ASB Stadium, St Thomas' Primary School, Selwyn College, Farm Cove Intermediate and Wakaaranga Primary School.

The principal of Farm Cove Intermediate, Madeleine East, said she was shocked to learn that her school and neighbouring Wakaaranga were on the planning board.

The two schools had more than 1200 pupils and it was not a viable option to dislocate them from the community, she said.

The councils, and Transit, have narrowed the list of technically feasible routes down to 11 with 47 variations, and plan to start a new round of public consultation next month.

In the report, eastern corridor project director Grant Kirby said it was imperative that a preferred option be developed as soon as possible to give a greater degree of certainty to property owners. It is hoped to have a preferred option by February.

Mr Banks yesterday said it was regrettable that so many people were potentially affected. It was inevitable the highway would end up in the Environment Court and that was why all the technically feasible options had to be explored, he said.

Manukau transport chairman Ian McGechie said that, while the decisions about where the highway would go and what transport modes it offered were complex, people needed to look carefully at the options and give feedback.

Included on the "short list" of alternatives is a "Parnell tunnel corridor" starting at Stanley St in the city, travelling northeast past the Auckland Domain, over Parnell Rd and then a bridge over or tunnel under Hobson Bay through to St Kentigern School and ending up at Orakei Basin.

Another is the "Kepa Rd corridor" from the waterfront at Hobson Bay to Ngapipi Rd, along Kepa Rd and past Selwyn College, ending at St Johns Rd.

The "Quarry corridor" would run from Meadowbank over Remuera Golf Course and through to the east of Mt Wellington. Further south, options being considered are the "SH1 corridor" link from Mt Wellington over the Panmure-Ellerslie Highway then west of Panmure Basin over Waipuna Rd, coming out at the Southern Motorway at the Mt Wellington interchange.

The "Tamaki River corridor" starts to the south of Panmure Basin near Waipuna Rd and goes along the Pakuranga motorway to link to Te Rakau Drive.

The "Ti Rakau Drive corridor", already flagged by planners, travels the length of Ti Rakau Drive, ending at the southern end of Botany Rd.

Two alternatives are proposed further south to cross the Tamaki River, one from Dunkirk Reserve across to Farm Cove and then in a loop east of Pakuranga's Lloyd Elsmore Park down to Golflands.

The other is south of the Pakuranga motorway crossing, beginning near the Southern Motorway at Mt Wellington and travelling directly southeast over the Tamaki River into East Tamaki's light industrial area.

All alternatives link to the "Te Irirangi corridor", previously outlined by planners and running from the Botany Downs area down between Flat Bush and Chapel Downs to Manukau City.

The range of options is far wider than the "Eastdor" plan unveiled last year that flagged the demolition of around 200 homes, mostly in Pakuranga.

Of the total cost of between $1.9 billion and $2.9 billion, the Manukau end is estimated to cost between $500 million and $600 million. The balance is in Auckland City, including a cost of $300 million to connect the eastern highway to State Highway 16 in Grafton Gully.

Meanwhile, Transit has announced its preferred route for State Highway 20 through Avondale is to join the Northwestern Motorway at Waterview.

Social, environmental and engineering reasons favoured this option over joining the Northwestern Motorway at Rosebank Rd, according to Transit regional manager Wayne McDonald. Comments will be sought on the proposals.

In the firing line

Streets and facilities that could be affected by the eastern corridor:

Orakei: Ngapipi Rd, Paritai Drive, Kepa Rd, Ngaiwi St, Grace Rd, Ngaio St, Brenton Place, Rautara St, Kupe St, Kurahaupo St, Godden Cres, Eastridge Shopping Centre, Baycare Accident & Medical Centre, Patteson Ave, Thatcher St.

Kohimarama: Kohimarama Rd, ASB Stadium, St Thomas' Primary School, Selwyn College, John Rymer Place, Allum St, Hampton Drive.

Meadowbank: Tahapa West Reserve, Tahapa Cres, Mamaku St, Koa St, Meadowbank Rd, Mara St, Harapaki Rd, Temple St, Lucia Glade, Blackett Cres, Kinder Place, St Johns Rd, Meadowbank Shopping Centre, Norman Lesser Drive, Harry Human Heights.

St Johns: Remuera Golf Club, Hoani Glade, Panapa Drive, Allen Johnston Drive, Isherwood Place, College Rd.

Mt Wellington: Merton Rd, Ngahue Reserve, Tennis Park, Colin Maiden Park, Morrin Rd, Mt Wellington Domain, Mt Wellington Quarry, Homestead Drive, Mt Wellington Highway, Tainui Rd, Carbine Rd, Clemow Drive, Fisher Cres, Ponui Place, Jolson Rd, Runa Place, Bernard St, Peace Ave, Kealy Rd, Panama Rd.

Tamaki: Tripoli Rd, Hinaki St, Parata St, Taratoa St, Torino St, Tobruk Rd.

Panmure: Jellicoe Rd, Dunn Rd, Green Rd, Pleasant View Rd, Clifton Court, Dunlop Lane, Queens Rd, Sanda Rd, Court Cres, Coates Cres, Hobson Drive, McCullough Rd, Stewart Ave, Ngarimu Rd, Te Koa Rd, Dunkirk Rd, Peterson Rd, Convamore Lane, Waipuna Rd, Waipuna Rd East, Finn Place, Marine Lane.

Glen Innes: Apirana Ave, Apirana Reserve, Omaru Lane, Mayfair Place, Stratton Lane.

Pakuranga: Pakuranga Motorway, Millen Ave, Dillimore Ave, Latham Ave, Paul Dale Cres, Anthony Place, Seven Oaks Drive, Ti Rakau Drive, Cardiff Rd, Cindy Place, Marriott Rd, Chevis Place, Mirimar Place, Ellesmere Cres, Driscoll Place, Dunn Place, Baronie Court, Nassau Court, Pakuranga Rd, Sir Lloyd Drive, Howick Little Theatre, Lloyd Elsmore Park.

Farm Cove: Arkley Ave, Bramley Drive, Fielding Cres, Belmere Rise, Melissa Place, Fratley Ave, Lilian Place, Fisher Parade, Butley Drive, Farm Cove Intermediate School, Wakaaranga Primary School, Fortunes Rd.

Highland Park: Aviemore Drive, Aberfeldy Ave, Eske Place, Madrona Place, Lewisham St, Marco Place, Amerce Place, Bradbury Rd, Cascades Rd, Pakuranga Country Club Golf Course.

Botany/Golflands: Golfland Drive, Seneca Court, Mirabell Place, Bob Charles Drive, Simon Owen Place, Botany Rd.

Greenmount/Huntington Park: Ti Rakau Home Centre, Greenmount Drive, Amera Place, Huntington Drive, St Leger Close, Saidia Place, Cottesmore Place.

East Tamaki: Highbrook Drive, Ra Ora Drive, Maurice Paykel Place, Analie Place, Neilpark Drive, Ross Reid Place, Zelanian Drive, Springs Rd, Lady Ruby Drive, East Tamaki Rd, Accent Drive, Reg Savory Place.


* What do you think of the routes?

Email the Herald News Desk