Council pick for Cup base opposed

RACE AGAINST TIME Government worried about encroaching on harbour, prefers land-based option

The Government is seriously at odds with Auckland Council’s decision yesterday to build the America’s Cup bases at Wynyard Basin. The council voted to locate the bases around Wynyard Basin. That involves a 75m extension to Halsey Wharf, a 75m extension to Hobson Wharf and a small extension on Wynyard Wharf.

Last month, David Parker, the Minister in charge of the America’s Cup, instructed council and Government officials to investigate a land-based alternative to base the syndicates at Wynyard Pt, the old Tank Farm site to the west of Wynyard Basin.

In a statement released to the Herald yesterday, Parker said the Government remained concerned about intrusions into the harbour and supported efforts to mitigate these.

“Therefore we have asked for further advice about the viability of the Wynyard Pt option, particularly around whether the risks linked to hazardous substances can be appropriately mitigated, the likelihood of consent being granted in a timely manner and the relative cost for the Wynyard Pt option.”

Parker was speaking from Argentina, where he is attending a World Trade Organisation meeting as Minister of Trade.

At yesterday’s council meeting, Panuku Development design and place director Rod Marler said the Wynyard Pt option posed a number of risks, including time delays due to complex lease negotiations, high costs due to the need to cease or move hazardous goods operators and not enough land and water space for eight team bases.

He said “timing really is the critical issue”, saying he could not stress how critical it was to getting a clear decision to lodge resource consent in January for a decision and construction to start in August.

The bases needed to be built by the time teams arrive in Auckland in late 2019, Marler said.

The Wynyard Basin decision carries a price tag of $124 million plus $18m to relocate tenants and landowners. The Wynyard Pt option has been priced at $112m plus relocation costs of about $118m.

The council is also looking to spend a further $260m on a range of waterfront and CBD projects for the 36th America’s Cup and Apec events in 2021. Of this, $80m is budgeted and $180m has to be found in the new 10-year budget.

Mayor Phil Goff said he was not interested in making any contribution towards a hosting fee being sought by Team New Zealand, saying the council was making a big contribution to infrastructure.

Parker said the Government was aiming for final funding decisions early next year.

“We do not expect a decision on central Government funding to be wrapped up any earlier than this. Emirates Team New Zealand and Auckland Council are aware of this timeframe. It is important that the event stacks up for ETNZ, taxpayers and Auckland ratepayers.

“Decisions (including on any resource consent processes) will be made in plenty of time to enable the regatta to proceed in Auckland,” Parker said.

At yesterday’s meeting, Goff said his first preference was for Wynyard Pt and the latest variation would be examined in discussions with the Government.

“But when we have put our professional staff, both local council, council-controlled organisations and Government officials together . . . they have come back and said that we would be absolutely struggling to get a consent process through on time.”

Not all councillors supported the Wynyard Basin option.

Waitemata and Gulf Island councillor Mike Lee said the Government’s option was sensible and the council should not be dismissing it.

Manukau councillor Efeso Collins said he did not feel the same sense of urgency for the Cup when the council was trying to address homelessness, which stood at 24,000 people, with a budget of $500,000. He voted against hosting the Cup in Auckland.