Protecting the Waitakere Ranges while cracking on with development at Massey North and Hobsonville is a key issue for the supercity's 30-year plan. It was debated at yesterday's Auckland Unleashed summit hosted by mayor Len Brown.
Mr Brown says the "serious debate" starts now about how to transform Auckland into an internationally competitive home to two million people by 2040.
And he's urging all Aucklanders to contribute ideas to help draft the Auckland Plan."I want them to get their love and passion for this place out front, debate it with me and let's put it in this plan and build this great city."
For west Auckland it means combining a "strong eco-city focus" with major economic expansion of the Northern Strategic Growth Area, Mr Brown says.
He's also keen to get the marine industry into Hobsonville "urgently" along with ferry services.
The west also has potential to be "an absolutely brilliant sports health-medicine hub", especially if it wins the bid for the national centre of cycling excellence.
How and where to house and provide jobs for a million extra residents over the next 30 years is at the heart of the Auckland Plan, Mr Brown says.
"The debate is whether Auckland's growth should be kept largely constrained within the metropolitan urban limit or to get rid of it and let the city spread," he says.
The Auckland Council's preference is to build a compact city by "growing up instead of out" with more intensive residential, commercial and industrial development, he says.
But they're keen to avoid "repeats of the shoebox development down Nelson St".
"The way forward is to make sure there's plenty of surrounding green space and to soften the edges and make it as beautiful as we can," he says.
Three target areas that can transform the city's economic performance and advance the mayor's vision of Auckland as "the most liveable city in the world" are identified in the Auckland Plan discussion paper:
A northwestern opportunity area with wineries and eco-tourism, a high-tech innovation centre in Albany, and marine and film industries in west Auckland
The international city centre and waterfront as Auckland's civic, entertainment, business, academic and research heart, and a "world class" visitor destination
A southern opportunity area capitalising on the airport and inland port as a hub for logistics and distribution, food and technology manufacturing, and tertiary skills training.
The key to unleashing the potential in these areas is an integrated bus, ferry and rail network – in particular the $2 billion inner city rail loop, rapid rail to the airport and to the North Shore, Mr Brown says.
Go to www.theaucklandplan.govt.nz to comment on the plan.
Article Source: www.westernleader.co.nz
Article By: Western Leader
