Submission on America's Cup Resource Consent Application by Panuku Development Auckland

To: Auckland Council
Application Number: BUN60313877
Name of Submitter: Heart of the City Inc (“HOTC”)

Submitter Details:

• Name
  Viv Beck, Chief Executive
  on behalf of Heart of the City Inc.
• Physical address
  Level 5, QVE Building, 125 Queen Street
• Address for service
  PO Box 105 331, Auckland 1143
• Telephone 09 379 8000
• Email info@hotcity.co.nz

1. Heart of the City is not a trade competitor for the purposes of section 308B of the Resource Management Act 1991.
2. Our submission supports the hosting of the America’s Cup in Auckland’s city centre.

Heart of the City Business Association

3. Heart of the City (HOTC) is Auckland's city centre business association. We are one of a number of business associations across the Auckland Region delivering a Business Improvement District (BID) Programme. We are funded by property owners and commercial tenants within the city centre and our boundary includes the Wynyard Quarter area which this consent application covers. We have an overall mission to foster a successful CBD economy. We are committed to developing a city centre that Aucklanders are proud of, that is a thriving place to do business, is accessible, vibrant and a great place to spend time in.
4. HOTC considers that that the America’s Cup event has the potential to generate both short term and longer term benefits for the city centre economy but our support is qualified by the need for assurance that we are investing in infrastructure that will deliver a positive economic, social and environmental benefit for Auckland.
5. We’d like to see a successful America’s Cup event that creates a great legacy and puts us well on the road to the waterfront that people want. We know from perception surveys with a range of users in the city centre that our waterfront is one of our city’s jewels – and we must continue to invest in it to make it accessible and maximise its potential. We’d like to see a waterfront that respects the environment and our precious harbour, one that respects our cultural heritage, one that stands out on an international stage and, importantly, one we can all enjoy.

Reasons for Submission

6. The primary focus of our submission is to ensure that we do our utmost to arrive at the best location option for the America’s Cup that minimises adverse impacts on our waterfront and delivers the best legacy for Auckland. Given this, we are seeking a deferral of this current application until all options currently being considered are included in a new or revised resource consent application.
7. In terms of the preferred location for the America’s Cup, our plea is that economic, social and environmental factors are considered fully along with the post-America’s Cup impact on the city before a location decision is locked down. 
8. Ideally, we want to see an America’s Cup delivered that does not include further encroachment into the harbour.

Decisions and Amendments Sought

9. HOTC seeks that the current application for consent be deferred in light of recent announcements from government and Auckland Council regarding new options for the AC36 facilities.  Whilst the new options are still based around the Halsey and Wynyard Wharf location they significantly depart from the subject application in terms of the location of new buildings, extent of new infrastructure required (including wharf extensions) and implications for existing marine and land based uses in the area. 
10. The revised proposals effectively mean that the assessment of alternative options in the subject application (refer Attachment 7 Options/Alternative Summary) cannot provide a sufficient or complete basis for proceeding to assess the current application under the Act.
11. With respect, if the current application does proceed to be assessed in its current form and is scheduled for hearing, HOTC may address the following aspects of the consent application in more detail at that stage:
    1. Visual and environmental effects
    2. Public space design and amenity
    3. Legacy event benefits
    4. Access and traffic
    5. Business and community disruption impacts

12. Heart of the City wishes to speak in support of our submission.

Dated: 14 March 2018

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Viv Beck, Chief Executive
Heart of the City