Tag: Auckland

Housing Dynamic Changes

·

Stats NZ Reports

 

Statistics New Zealand has reported that the housing dynamics as well as other indicators in Auckland are now pretty much unique compared to the rest of New Zealand. Of course and being a realist this is expected (even the negative indicators) in New Zealand’s sole international city of sizable comparison.

From Stats NZ

Auckland housing now very different from the rest of NZ

Auckland’s housing has changed markedly over the past two decades as the city reacts to its growing population, with more multi-storey homes, greater density, and fewer unoccupied homes all making it very different to the rest of the country, according to the latest research from Statistics New Zealand.17 December 2014

Housing in Auckland: Trends in housing from 1991 to 2013 uses the latest 2013 Census information, showing that in the seven years between the last two censuses, Auckland’s population grew by 8.5 percent, faster than the number of dwellings, which increased by 7.6 percent.

Statistics NZ researcher and report author Rosemary Goodyear says the aim of the report is to give agencies working in the housing area in Auckland information they need. “We hope this type of information will be useful to both policymakers deciding where services might be valuable, but also to developers deciding where to focus their efforts.”

“We’ve found that since the 1990s, housing in Auckland has changed so much that it’s now distinct from the rest of New Zealand. There are more multi-storey dwellings, lower rates of home-ownership, more renting, and house prices have risen to higher levels than in other parts of New Zealand.”

“It is not only young people who have been affected by the fall in home ownership,” Dr Goodyear said. “There have been substantial drops in home ownership for Aucklanders aged in their 30s, 40s, and 50s since 2001.”

Dr Goodyear says Statistics NZ worked closely with agencies in Auckland to find out what information they wanted to know about housing in the region.

One of the key findings of the report is that since 2006, building consents in Auckland are lower per head of population than in the rest of New Zealand. In 2013, there were 358 building consents per 100,000 people in Auckland compared with 423 per 100,000 for New Zealand overall. However, the number of building consents issued for new dwellings in Auckland has increased since the low point in 2009 to reach almost 7,000 in the year to March 2014.

The report also found that dwelling density had increased significantly in Auckland between 2001 and 2013, from 85.5 to 102.0 dwellings per square kilometre. In 2013, the most dense area units (Auckland Central East and Auckland Central West) had over 5,000 dwellings per square kilometre.

“Levels of crowding have remained persistently high in Auckland,” Dr Goodyear said. “In 2013 almost half of crowded households in New Zealand were in the Auckland region, compared with just over a third in 1991.” Over 200,000 people in Auckland, including around 63,000 children, are now living in a crowded household. Crowding was highest among Pacific peoples, with 45.3 percent of Pacific peoples in Auckland living in a crowded household in 2013.

Read the report – Housing in Auckland: Trends in housing from the Census of Population and Dwellings 1991 to 2013.

—-ends—–

Source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1412/S00484/auckland-housing-now-very-different-from-the-rest-of-nz.htm

 

This shows with our Unitary Plan that we need to make sure our master planing document is not loaded up with anal development controls that restrict as well as make developments cost prohibitive. Flexibility is the key to make sure that both consents are available in timely manners and crowding is reduced through the supply of all housing typologies being efficient. Something again development controls bung up.

I suppose we will know how the Unitary Plan will shape out come 2016 when the Hearings Panel makes it recommendations to Council.

 

Bus Livery – GO!

· 2 Comments ·

Auckland Transport Debut’s the new Bus Livery

 

Yesterday in rather windy conditions Auckland Transport launched the new public transport livery we will be seeing across the buses through out Auckland.

From Auckland Transport

AT Metro brand makes its debut

16/12/2014 02:14 p.m.

Metro Branding2
The NEX Bus Livery Source: Auckland Transport

 

Auckland Transport has unveiled its new look for public transport in the city.

At a ceremony in Auckland the Deputy Mayor, Penny Hulse and Auckland Transport Chairman Dr Lester Levy launched the AT Metrobrand which will be phased in over three years, starting with LINK services and the Northern Express.

The single brand identity will be differentiated by colour for different types of services and will gradually be applied to buses, trains and ferries.

Auckland Transport’s General Manager Marketing and Customer Experience Mike Loftus says a single identity will give Aucklanders and visitors a clearer understanding of what public transport is on offer, and how buses, trains and ferries serve different areas.

“Most metropolitan cities have a single brand network that is easy to recognise and enables clear, consistent communication with customers.”

“Currently in Auckland there is no single identity, we have a variety of brands and looks. Customers relate to buses by the operator name rather than the wider public transport network”.

Auckland Transport’s Group Manager Public Transport Mark Lambert says having a single public transport network will ultimately build public confidence in the developing and improving PT system. “Knowing that all the services are integrated and part of the same system will help grow patronage”.

The implementation of the livery is already underway and budgeted for the electric trains.

Costs for the bus fleet will be kept to a minimum through:

  • retention of ocean blue for Rapid Network services (Northern Express is already this colour).
  • retention of red, green, orange and light blue for existing targeted services of the City LINK, Inner LINK, Outer LINK and Airbus.
  • the rest of the bus fleet to be transitioned as part of new contracts and costs incurred through new contract rates.

Mr Lambert says Auckland’s bus operators are aware of the changes and are working with Auckland Transport.

The Auckland Plan looks to double public transport trips from 70 million in 2012 to 140 million in 2022. The Auckland Plan’s priorities for Auckland’s transport system include “a single system transport network approach that manages current congestion problems and accommodates future business population growth to encourage a shift toward public transport.”

———-

Source: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/at-metro-brand-makes-its-debut/

 

Costs of the rebrand noted in red above. And I believe the yellow on the front of the buses is to act as a safety feature in being bright and attention catching before someone asks.

 

Unitary Plan Hearings Update (15/12/2014) – UPDATE #1

·

Council Nutted Over Greenfield Releases

 

I am observing the Unitary Plan hearings currently under way in which the Panel is covering ‘Urban Growth.’

Currently the full panel is hammering Auckland Council over both the Rural Urban Boundary itself as well as Greenfield releases. Specifically around how the releases would be done and would the releases mitigate against land banking.

But the big revelation came from Council after Panel Member Shepard (http://www.aupihp.govt.nz/profiles/#panel) finally managed to get out them this:

Council to the Panel: “we’ve (Auckland Council) always been reactive and not having the budgets to service development”

 

Council was long warned on both those particular matters especially being reactive rather than proactive around infrastructure provisions. I distinctly remember early in the Unitary Plan debates in 2013 that we should be proactive rather than reactive with infrastructure provisions (amongst other things) but our Deputy Mayor, and Chief Planning Officer didn’t want a bar of it for being afraid of running into infrastructure surpluses rather than deficits as current.

In my opinion being proactive would not result in an infrastructure surplus. To get that you need a total economic collapse like the USA went through with the Global Financial Crisis which killed off many new Greenfield developments still sitting idle today and giving rise to that surplus. Auckland right now is not teetering on such collapses so we should be getting proactive rather than be reactive which proves to be more expensive as the Council is commenting now on not having the budgets.

UPDATE #1

Well this is interesting:

Fuller: Has there been a detailed economic study on house price on the compact urban form?
Fairgray No

No wonder why Council has at the moment buried the Cost of Growth Study until next year after it was meant to be released this month. It seems Council has NOT done any detailed economic studies on house prices via the compact city model….

 

Lessons for Sydney here as it embarks on its own Sydney Plan (A Plan For Growing Sydney)

 

Auckland to Celebrate 175 Years

· 2 Comments ·

Come celebrate all things that are – well Auckland

 

From Auckland Council:

Launching Auckland’s 175th birthday weekend

 

Come and celebrate the 175th anniversary of Auckland, from Saturday 24 to Monday 26 January. 

Auckland Council and ASB are partnering to transform Shed 10 and Queens Wharf to give Aucklanders a glimpse into our past across the three days of Auckland Anniversary weekend 2015.

Mayor Len Brown says “Auckland is coming of age, and you can feel a renewed sense of pride in our place and ourselves. The 175th anniversary is an important milestone for us so we’re looking forward to celebrating with an event reflecting who we are and what makes Auckland proud.”

The centre-piece of the event is a large-scale, never-seen-before, immersive multimedia exhibition which is a tribute to Aucklanders who have played a significant part in the region’s history. The exhibition, produced by acclaimed Creative Director Mike Mizrahi, features stories told on screen about the people who have shaped Auckland; and stories of Tamaki Makaurau will unfold in a live story-telling zone.

Quay Street will be closed to traffic, and as people arrive on Queens Wharf they will walk through an historic archway designed to mark this significant moment in the city’s history. Then the wharf – including Shed 10 and The Cloud – will come alive with entertainment and historical displays that will take people back in time.

A highlight of the weekend will be Sunday evening’s free concert from the HMNZS Otago – berthed alongside Queens Wharf. Curated by Tama Waipara, a selection of bands will bring a local flavour to the celebration. The concert will conclude with a spectacular fireworks display from barges in the harbour and from the Sky Tower. All three days will feature buskers, a waka display in the harbour, photographic exhibition, vintage cars lining Quay St, markets, food vendors and more.

“Since Sir John Logan Campbell and James Dilworth opened New Zealand’s first savings bank in Auckland in 1847, the histories of ASB and Auckland have been inexorably linked,” explains Barbara Chapman, ASB’s Chief Executive.

“Given ASB has been a key part of Auckland for over 165 years, we are proud to be working with Auckland Council to celebrate with everyone Auckland’s amazing journey to becoming the world-class city it is today.”

Mayor Brown adds; “We want everyone to come join the celebrations as we look back at a rich history, celebrate our diverse cultures and acknowledge some of those who have made Auckland great.”

……….

 

Further Information

  • Queens Wharf events are FREE to the public from:

o   Saturday 24 January: 10am – 6pm

o   Sunday 25 January: 10am – 10pm (approx.)

o   Monday 26 January: 10am – 6pm

 

  • Shed 10 multimedia exhibition opening times:

o   Saturday 24 – Monday 26 January: 12pm – 6pm daily

o   Exclusive ASB customer access: daily 10am – 12pm

 

  • HMNZS Otago open Saturday from 10am – 6pm / Sunday from 10am-3pm.
  • HMNZS Otago concert, Sunday 25 January, 5.30pm – 9.30pm.
  • Harbour/Sky Tower Fireworks display, 9.30pm Sunday 25 January.
  • The Auckland 175th Anniversary weekend event on Queens Wharf and Quay St will be alcohol-free.
  • Quay St will be closed to traffic from lower Albert St to Commerce St across the whole weekend.
  • Other events happening at Auckland’s waterfront over Anniversary Weekend include; Auckland Regatta, SeePort, ASB Auckland Seafood Festival, International Buskers Festival, and St Jerome’s Laneway Festival.

The Auckland 175th Anniversary weekend event is also supported by a family of sponsors including:

  • ASB
  • Downer
  • Imersia
  • Oceania/Spyglass
  • Image Centre Group/Aaque Graphics
  • Ports of Auckland
  • RNZN

 

————————————

 

Providing the weather holds that weekend it should be a ball celebrating Auckland’s 175 years – young!