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Auckland has been ranked higher than Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in a new survey of international cities and how they are planning for the future. Mayor Phil Goff is pleased about the city making it to 13 on a list of 24 global centres. However, Auck

Auckland has secured a solid ranking in a new survey of international cities but faces big challenges addressing housing shortages, transport problems and environmental pressures.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is chuffed about the city’s position in the middle of the pack of how international cities plan, govern and design their metropolis.

Even better for the city’s number one cheerleader, Auckland is ahead of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, which, in Goff’s eyes, are all impressive cities.

Auckland came in at 13th place out of 24 international cities in an index measuring how cities are planned and responding to future challenges.

Seattle was No 1 — ahead of Copenhagen, Stockholm, New York and Vancouver — on the 2018 WSP Opus Global “A Tale of Our Cities” Index.

Auckland was the only New Zealand city included in the index.

At the Auckland launch of the report yesterday, Goff said it was valuable to gain external assessment on how the city is performing and meeting the challenges of urbanisation relative to other global cities.

“Our ranking at 13th leaves room for ambition to match and exceed the performance of the . . . cities which dominate the top of the list,” he said.

Auckland is a city that punches above its weight in a country that does the same, the report said.

It pointed to the city’s strengths with its expanse of regional parks and creation of new facilities, such as the Viaduct Basin, Wynyard Quarter and an “exemplary new” art gallery, bringing a modern urban atmosphere to the city. Internet access was also a big plus.

“The cultural and placemaking of the city has been bolstered by a major planning overhaul for growth and a renewed public investment in metro rail infrastructure that will set Auckland well on the path to a stronger global position,” the report said.

The report also pointed at the city’s challenges with public transport, congested roads and the housing crisis, which Goff said was putting pressure on the environment.

He said the city’s rapid growth with a rich mix of cultures had created significant challenges, but the council was responding with planning measures like the Unitary Plan, leading to more intensive multi-unit terrace housing and apartments, and a 10-year budget with $26 billion to go into housing, transport, the environment, parks and community facilities.

Another 800 cars a week were making congestion worse, said Goff, saying more motorways and single-occupancy cars would not solve the problem. Transformational change to public transport, cycling and walking was the answer.

Over the next decade the Government and council will spend $32b on transport, including $6b on light rail, Goff said.

The report said: “Auckland needs a transport system that provides a genuine choice for people, enables access to opportunities, achieves safety, health and environmental outcomes and underpins economic performance.”

It cited progress over the past decade or so, including electrification of the rail network, major investments in the bus system and the start of $3.4b City Rail Link, the largest transport infrastructure project in New Zealand. When it came to long-terming planning, the report said Auckland was up there with Seoul, Sydney, Melbourne, Stockholm and London — although the report referred to Auckland’s bold vision of being the “World’s Most Liveable City”, a term coined by former Mayor Len Brown and quietly abandoned by Goff.

Auckland also got the thumbs up for its commitment on climate change and goal to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2040.

WSP Opus New Zealand managing director Ian Blair said the index was different to all the “liveable city” indexes in that it was not about the “here and now” but how cities were being planned for the future.

Blair, an Australian who has lived in Auckland for 11 years, said Auckland was in good shape.

“What is encouraging for Auckland is that many of the plans are being put in place and we are starting to see funding come through to deliver on them”.