Helicopters and homes don’t mix
This is a guest post by Alex Bonham, who is a City Vision member of the Waitematā Local Board, which resolved unanimously to advocate for the prohibition of non-emergency helicopter movements in urban residential areas. She is writing here in a personal capacity.…
37 Comments Auckland is a world-class city in the making
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the city centre advisory panel, a previous director of NZTA, and is running to be Councillor for the Waitematā and Gulf ward in October.
This ran in the Herald 1 July 2025
What is a good model for Auckland’s Queen St?…
The Transport Plans for Downtown West
As the City Rail Link works start to wrap up over the next year, focus is starting to shift to where next for improvement in the city centre and one of the areas to be focused on is the Downtown West area in conjunction with Pūmanawa Downtown West which is the redevelopment of the Downtown Carpark site.…
When will Auckland’s City Rail Link Open?
Mānawatia a Matariki!
Here’s a Māori new year bonus for y’all, enjoy:…
By shaping Auckland, we shape ourselves
“First we shape the cities — then they shape us.”.
These words by renowned Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl are a simple but powerful reminder of our ability – and perhaps even duty – to shape any city, including our own home of Auckland, for the better.…
Richer or poorer?
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel, and a previous director of Waka Kotahi/NZTA.
Recently there has been some good attention on New Zealand’s relatively low productivity. Just last week the Mayor led on this issue: Brown stressed that Auckland’s economic future relies on shifting from low productivity and long hours to high-value, scalable innovation.…
Will the Auckland City Skyline ever change again?
It’s been nearly five years since the NPS-UD directed councils to enable more apartment-style housing in high-access areas. After years of delay, Auckland’s response — Plan Change 78 (PC78) — is finally up for a key vote before the Planning Committee on May 22.…
Behind the curtain of AT’s Project K switcheroo
On Tuesday this week I watched AT present to the Waitematā Local Board about the Karanga-a-Hape Station precinct integration project (otherwise known as Project K).
The same day, I received information in response to my LGOIMA request for documents about the last-minute decision to drastically change the project in March & April of this year, as well as an early return yesterday of documents regarding resolutions from the Traffic Control Committee.…
Why it takes a city to save a village, and vice versa
This guest post by Dr Stuart Donovan looks at how strengthening the urban core can turn liabilities into assets. The header image of Rangiwhakaoma is by the author. I recently travelled to the remarkably picturesque coastal settlement known as Rangiwhakaoma (Castlepoint), which translates loosely to “where the sky runs”.…
Auckland Transport doubles down on diluting Project K
Last Wednesday, Greater Auckland sent an open letter to Auckland Transport about last minute U-turns on designs for the area around Karanga-ā-hape CRL station. Our letter was co-signed by over a hundred people including many local residents and businesses, Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick, and organisations such as the City Centre Residents’ Group, Bike Auckland, Campaign for Better Transport, and more.…
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