Poll shows regional support for Wynyard Quarter’s revitalisation

Media release November 30,2009

People across the Auckland region are supportive of the revitalisation of Wynyard Quarter, which will see the area affectionately known as the Tank Farm transformed over time into a harbour-side community with parks and plazas, apartments, shops and offices alongside the traditional marine and fishing industries.

A survey conducted recently found that:

• Two thirds of Aucklanders visit the waterfront at least every six months
• More than 70 per cent were aware of plans to redevelop the waterfront to make it more accessible to the public
• Of those who were aware of the plans, more than 90 per cent support the redevelopment in principle
• A third of Aucklanders are aware of plans to redevelop Wynyard Quarter, also known as the Tank Farm
• 87 per cent support the plans to revitalise Wynyard Quarter, once given a basic description of what is planned
• 56 per cent would like to know more about plans for Wynyard Quarter’s development
• Two thirds think it’s important to get the waterfront revitalisation in place before the Rugby World Cup 2011

Sea+City Projects Ltd Chief Executive and Project Director, John Dalzell, says the early feedback on Wynyard Quarter’s development is encouraging. “It confirms that people across the region overwhelmingly believe we are on the right track with Wynyard Quarter’s revitalisation, and that we are creating the kind of place where they want to come to live, work and play.”

The findings are the result of an omnibus survey by UMR Research in September, in which 241 people across the Auckland region were questioned, giving the poll a margin of error of 6.3 per cent. The poll was commissioned by Sea+City Projects Ltd, which is managing the revitalisation of the majority of the land in Wynyard Quarter and associated projects for Auckland Regional Holdings Ltd and Auckland City Council.

To find out more about what is happening in Wynyard Quarter, please visit www.seacity.co.nz.

Media inquiries to:

John Dalzell
Sea+City Projects Ltd CE and Project Director
(09) 336 8820

Editors’ note: Over the next 25 years around 29 hectares of Auckland’s waterfront within Wynyard Quarter will be transformed in stages into a harbour-side community with parks and plazas, apartments, shops and offices alongside the traditional marine and fishing industries. It is one of the largest waterfront urban renewal developments ever undertaken in New Zealand.

The regeneration project is a cooperative venture co-funded by Auckland Regional Holdings (ARH), the majority landowner, and Auckland City Council, which will own the roads, promenades, wharfs, parks and plazas. Auckland City Council will also share ownership of the large headland public space with Auckland Regional Council (ARC).

ARH established Sea City Projects Ltd (SCPL) to manage the revitalisation, and its commercial land north of Pakenham Street. Auckland City Council has appointed SCPL to project manage the design and construction of the public areas throughout Wynyard Quarter. ARH is a statutory investment management entity and part of the Auckland Regional Council group.