Tamaki Drive contest ignites city-hall ruckus

By BERNARD ORSMAN

The Auckland City Council has launched a design competition for Tamaki Drive - but failed to mention its own plans to build a six-lane highway at the city end of the "highly valued and unique" scenic route.

The slip-up caused a commotion at the council yesterday: a competition organiser was unaware the planned eastern highway ran along Tamaki Drive and a senior highway planner was unaware of the design competition.

The commotion began when the communications and marketing department announced the design competition and put details on the council website. Nothing was said about the council's plan to reclaim part of Tamaki Drive from the Outboard Boating Club of Auckland for the highway.

In fact, the competition asks entrants to create a gateway "evoking the character of the scenic way" for the point where the highway would lead into the city at Quay St.

Competition details say issues such as these "need to be addressed in a way that does not impact on the specific uniqueness of the area".

"The design shall develop and enhance a strong sense of place that reflects the importance of Tamaki Drive's local distinctiveness and physical aspect."

Council community planner and competition organiser Sophie Bell said she understood the highway did not run along Tamaki Drive.

"Isn't that funny. We have been talking to quite a few people in council about the competition and that [the highway] has never been raised as an issue ... You have caught me on the hop," said Ms Bell.

A few minutes later, Tony Garnier, who is Mayor John Banks' adviser on the eastern highway, told the Herald he knew nothing about the design competition and wanted to find out "what the hell is going on here, quite frankly".

The competition, which calls for proposals from design professionals by February 21, carries prizemoney of $5500 for the top four entrants.

Later in the afternoon a council communications spokesman, Bridget Vercoe, rang the Herald to say the highway and design competition were running together to meet the transport and recreational needs of Tamaki Drive.

"The design competition is just looking at conceptual design at this stage and - depending on what we get back - may be designed into the eastern corridor plan," Ms Vercoe said.

Meanwhile, planning for the eastern highway has slipped further back with the failure of Auckland and Manukau Cities to meet a second deadline of last Friday to appoint a company to conduct a $13 million detailed study of the project. The first was December 9.

Herald feature: Getting Auckland moving