Vector Arena
Introduction |
Transport and access | Noise
| Facts at a glance
|
Parties
| QPAM Limited | What's a BOOT? | The Quay Park site | Services
and facilities
| Key milestones | Student information
Student information
The arena project is popular with students completing
assignments relating to environmental management and the Resource Management
Act. Information is provided here about the steps taken to obtain resource
consents for the planned arena and how planning issues, including public
consultation, have been dealt with.
The arena and the district plan
The Proposed Central Area section of the Auckland City
District Plan sets out the planning rules for central Auckland. A variation to
the Proposed Plan, which became operative in early 2003 following extensive
consultation, designated the Quay Park site for use for an arena.
This meant an arena could be built at Quay Park as long as
it complies with the District Plan rules for the site. The most relevant rules
relate to height, noise and parking.
The variation to the Proposed Plan also meant that anyone
buying a property or undertaking a development near the arena site would become
aware of the plans for an arena when they obtained a Land Information Memorandum
(LIM) or Project Information Memorandum (PIM) from the council.
The arena and the Resource Management Act
In July 2003, independent planning commissioners approved,
with conditions, Abigroup Limited's application for resource consent for an
indoor arena at Quay Park.
Abigroup's application set out how the company planned to
deal with issues such as parking, traffic, landscaping, design, and noise. These
were among the key issues raised by people when the council consulted the public
on the need for an arena in 1999.
The application was granted consent on a non-notified basis
by independent planning commissioners on 21 July 2003 subject to 34 conditions
relating to building design, trees, landscaping, construction, traffic
management, parking and access, signage, financial contributions, monitoring,
review and compliance with performance standards.
The council has since terminated its negotiations with
Abigroup, however the resource consent remains with the arena site.
A copy of the executive summary of the original resource
consent application - which sets out how noise will be kept in and out of the
arena and how issues like traffic and parking will be managed - is available
below PDF format.
Executive summary (10kb PDF)
To view PDFs download Acrobat Reader from the
Adobe website.
Further help on how to view PDFs.
QPAM's application for a variation
On 5 February 2004 Quay Park Arena Management Limited
(QPAM) lodged an application to vary the existing resource consent to
accommodate its revised design for the arena.
QPAM's revised plans were for a slightly smaller building
which fittted generally within the profile of the approved building and adopted
the same site layout, parking and access arrangements as the original, and
consented plans, including a pedestrian overbridge linking the arena site to
Quay Street.
As well as being a smaller building, the revised design
included changes to the appearance of the building. These included a revised
roof design, revised forecourt design and realignment of the forecourt so that
it opens directly towards the Mahuhu Kite Rangi Reserve.
All other aspects of the QPAM proposal - traffic, parking
and noise, for example - fall within the parameters of the existing consent.
Independent planning commissioners approved the application
in March 2004.
How specific issues have been dealt with
Design
Quay Park Arena Management Ltd and its architects worked
with Auckland City Council to ensure that the Vector Arena became a landmark
building on Auckland's waterfront. Important aims were to ensure the building
was visually compatible with the heritage railway station next to it, and that
the design had a distinctly Auckland look and feel. The design went through a
number of peer reviews, including a review by Auckland's independent Urban
Design Panel. The panel, which comprises leading Auckland architects and
property specialists, made a number of recommendations that the QPAM architects
took into consideration when developing their final design.
QPAM and its architects worked with Ngati Whatua o Orakei
to ensure the design of the building met its expectations for the site.
Common questions from students
How does the arena benefit Auckland and its economy?
Big shows and events previously bypassed Auckland and New
Zealand because there was no venue big enough or with the sophisticated
equipment they require. Vector Arena's development mean the promoters of these
events can now include Auckland in their itineraries and, in many instances, go
on to Wellington and Christchurch as well.
Such events include major sports, such as world netball and
basketball tests or championships, which could be co-hosted with other
Australasian cities.
Estimates for the number of events to be held in the arena
vary from 100 to 150 a year. Based on these estimates, the arena will return
incremental economic benefits of between $28 and $50 million a year to the
regional economy. These will principally accrue from increased expenditure by
visitors, from overseas and other parts of the country, on accommodation, meals,
entertainment and travel.
Vector Arena creates new job and business opportunities in
industries that service events - for example lighting, sound, trucking and
advertising.
Other benefits come from:
- attracting events that appeal to younger people, who generally miss out now because existing facilities don't cater for their needs
- having a new public assembly facility for large civic events and celebrations
- community events, funded from royalties on ticket sales, that will ensure the arena is accessible for all sections of the community
How has this project affected Auckland City Council ratepayers?
For an investment of $71.1 million, Auckland City Council ratepayers now have a world-class entertainment facility. This investment is, in
effect, a prepayment for a building they will own outright, for no extra money, in 40 years time.
The council's investment did not require an increase in rates. Nor did it require the council to borrow.
All ratepayers benefit indirectly from this investment, in a number of ways:
- The arena adds a new lifestyle dimension to Auckland city, by bringing more and more varied events to Auckland.
- The arena helps create the kind of city that is attractive to people with the skills and the investments that Auckland will need to prosper in the future.
- The arena opens up business opportunities (and therefore provides jobs) that currently don't exist.
- The arena helps make Auckland a more attractive destination for tourists, including visitors from other parts of the country.
- The arena enables another section of the Auckland waterfront to be upgraded to standards similar to the Viaduct Harbour.
While Auckland City Council ratepayers have invested $71.1
million in the Vector Arena, they will not contribute to its ongoing operation.
This is because the operator (QPAM) and not ratepayers is responsible for
ensuring it runs profitably. The operator is also responsible for any losses.
Does Vector Arena compete with other venues in the Auckland
region?
No. Until the arena's development, there was no indoor
venue in the Auckland region with the seat numbers and quality required by the
sports and entertainment industries. Previously, the largest indoor sports
facilities only had the capacity and quality to meet community recreation needs.
These facilities were:
- ASB Stadium (Kohimarama) with 3700 seats maximum
- North Shore Events Centre with 4700 seats maximum
- Trusts Stadium (Waitakere) with 4900 seats maximum
How was the environment around the arena site affected by the development?
There were already significant changes on the waterfront because of the council-led project to revitalise the Viaduct Basin. There are
more restaurants and cafes on the waterfront, more apartments and more big and small businesses wanting premises nearby.
The Britomart project has had a similar effect in its location on the waterfront - particularly as the nearby heritage buildings
around the area have been remodelled.
A great deal of redevelopment has been competed or is still underway on privately owned sites in the area. This redevelopment includes the
kinds of businesses - shops and cafes - needed to service more visitors to the area. More people now live and work near the Vector Arena because
of residential and business developments.
Auckland City Council has just completed a major upgrade of Quay Street and a further upgrade is underway in Beach Road. These upgrades make
these routes much more pedestrian-friendly.
Has the location of the arena created positive/negative
effects on its surroundings?
The Vector Arena development created a new Auckland landmark. As a result, the whole look and feel of the Quay Park area is
changing, with more people and activity in an area that was previously somewhat desolate and unattractive. Also, the upgrade of the surrounding streets creates
a safer and more attractive connection to the CBD - particularly the Britomart transport interchange - for pedestrians.
Auckland City Council carefully addressed possible negative effects, such as noise, traffic and parking in the project planning. For
example, to qualify for resource consent, the Vector Arena had to comply with the requirements of the District Plan - i.e. noise cannot exceed certain levels,
parking provision must meet the District Plan requirements, and event traffic be managed.
How do people feel about the development of Vector Arena?
Two major public consultations and market research demonstrated that most people supported the development of Vector Arena.
The first round of public consultation undertaken by the council in 1999 showed 81 per cent supported the concept of an indoor arena and
approved council going ahead and looking at options for building an indoor facility.
Auckland City Council undertook extensive consultation on the arena proposal when it consulted on the draft 2001 annual plan. The council
advised the public that it planned to contribute to the upfront cost of an arena, owned and operated by a private sector partner under a BOOT scheme. In
this consultation, 64 per cent supported the proposal and 34 per cent did not.
There was extensive consultation with Ngati Whatua o Orakei, owners of the Quay Park site, and the promoters and sports organisations who would
use the Vector Arena.
