Subject: Auckland and growth Date: 19 March 2003 9:42:59 PM To: letters@nzherald.co.nz
There has, rightly, been considerable discussion about the development of the Auckland region, the problems of high density housing, infill, green field sites etc. Auckland is a salutary example of unplanned expansion over many years. It is now a sprawling monster, with unsatisfactory high density housing crowded into sites not always suitable, often badly constructed of non-permanent materials, continued sprawl and subdivision, with tendrils stretching out tens of kilometres as rural subdivision, poor public transport, poor urban environment, clogging traffic etc. Yet the government still encourages high levels of immigration, with the vast majority of immigrants settling in this unsatisfactory environment, further increasing pressure on the local resources. Perhaps the solution is to start from scratch. I think planners should consider constructing a new city, designed from the outset to be non-car dependant, high density housing of permanent materials, highly insulated, solar heating, solar cells, high efficiency buildings, no or few private gardens, but private patios, but many public open spaces, gardens , good public transport - trams, underground, buses etc. Cycle tracks, footpaths, village communities etc etc. Attractive, people-friendly, 5 kph architecture. This city would be linked by high-speed rail to the existing Auckland city. We could learn from Auckland's failures, we could construct something of real beauty and worth, but I don't suppose we will.
New towns are hardly that new, they have been part of the European planning tradition for at least a century, from the time of the Victorian Englishman, Ebenezer Howard, and his Garden Cites for Tomorrow.The problem is that some have not turned out that well, and urban problems have been transferred to the new towns along with their new residents. However there have been some notable successes. Two sites to visit: English Partnerships - a site with references to the major new towns of England, A Vision of Europe - a European site.
But here there is a continued lack of vision. To consider spending $3-4 billion on a new road, the Eastern Motorway (with public transport attached, admittedly), is beyond belief. Two sites to visit: (Eastern Transport Corridor - the official site, Stem - anti-motorway site). There is an unshakable conservatism in councils, city and transport planners; this is a conspiracy of business and local councils, encouraged by the government to believe that growth is everything. Not surprisingly business and councils do well out of this philosophy, more people = more rates, more building, more roads, more work. But this is a short-sighted and unsustainable philosophy that cannot continue. In the meantime the general quality of life in Auckland will continue to deteriorate, and all the money needed to provide that ever-burgeoning infrastructure has to be found somewhere. As a new Wellingtonian I object to my taxes supporting the Auckland region, which we are constantly being told is the powerhouse of the New Zealand economy (though this is not true, the powerhouse of the New Zealand economy is, and always has been, the rural sector). This is not to criticise everything in Auckland, the Viaduct Basin area is undergoing a renaissance, and some exciting long term planning for the area is being undertaken.
Whether a new town or city is a practical solution to Auckland's problems as such I am not sure, but there does certainly exist an opportunity here to think laterally. Where would we put it? I suppose south of the Manukau harbour could be one area, or maybe Cleveden, or perhaps the Kaipara. Of course the people living there now won't want them, but then this is the problem with allowing so much rural subdivision over the years. The surroundings of all our major cities have now been subdivided so extensively that making other use of these areas is going to be much more expensive, and also much more difficult, as so many more people are affected by possible planning issues in these areas. For instance, here in Wellington, the rural subdivision of the Makara Valley means a lot more people are affected by the plans for wind generation, so that a valuable asset, millions of dollars worth annually of wind generation, might not be developed. These are the unforseen costs of a poor planning structure in New Zealand.
This site leads to an interview with Prof. Jan Gehl about urban design. He gave a well attended public talk here in Wellington earlier this year, which is where he explained 5 kph architecture, and very impressive he was too. Auckland would fit in to the "Abandoned City" category.
Sprawling Auckland
Some further references and comment (added 29/1/05)
