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St Patrick's Square upgrade

Feedback from consultation

Feedback from consultation on draft concept design
Feedback from 2006 stakeholder workshops

Feedback from consultation on draft concept design

Consultation on the St Patrick's Square draft concept design was carried out during July and August 2007.

The purpose of consultation was to check whether the draft design met the project objectives, which were developed with stakeholder and public input in August 2006.

The draft design was displayed in the square next to the Grove Restaurant from 27 July to 10 August 2007. Auckland City Council staff greeted 299 visitors at the display and discussed with them the draft designs. Consultation brochures, containing a summary of the design and feedback form were also distributed to approx 450 stakeholders and were available for collection from the information display, Auckland Central Library and council service centres, as well as published on the Auckland City Council website 73 responses were received via the post or email.

In finalising the concept design, we considered the feedback received during public consultation and made several changes as a result.

The key changes to the design are:

removal of grass and planting areas outside the northern and eastern edges of the Cathedral to create a consistent edge treatment to the building and give it prominence
reduction in number of proposed trees (1x totara in the federal street extension, 2x pohutukawa in the terraces) to open up sightlines into and out of the space
inclusion of flowering plants within the design, along with spring bulbs, where appropriate, to add colour and variety
retention of a mature existing Melia tree at the eastern entrance to the square from Wyndham Street, reflecting its prominence and good health
simplification of the lower square with the removal of some of the proposed modular furniture

A number of operational issues emerged through consultation that we will consider during the next phases of design. These include the management of parking within the square, inclusion of CCTV security cameras and managing the interface with private developments on the square's edge.

The project now moves into preliminary design, which means that the ideas behind the concept design are developed into more detail. During this time, we will also be liaising with some of the businesses and residents surrounding the square to work on operational issues.

Public consultation feedback

A number of questions on the draft concept design were included in the consultation brochure and published on the web.

Do you think the draft design will enhance the square's unique character, and the importance of the Cathedral in the space?
Do you think the draft design will improve the square's role as an urban oasis - a place where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings?
Do you think the draft design will improve the comfort and safety of the square during the day and night?
Do you think that the draft design will make it easier for people to enter and move through the square?
Do you have any comments on particular design elements such as artworks, planting, lighting, paving or the water feature?
Are there any other comments you would like to make on the draft design?

High level findings

Generally, people saw the design as:

enhancing the square's unique character, and its relationship to the Cathedral
improving the square's role as an urban oasis, a place for people to meet and gather
improving the access for people into and through the square
improving the safety and comfort of the square

A number of themes emerged through the public consultation feedback, these were:

people felt that lighting alone will not improve safety. There were some recommendations for the installation of CCTV cameras and/or regular policing within the square.
the overall planting plan is supported, however there were some recommendations to:
- include colour/flowering plants
- consider the type and style of planting around the privately owned land adjacent to the Madison apartment building
- ensure that any planting allows clear site lines to meet safety needs
- a small number of people expressed concerns regarding the removal of some of the large, existing specimen trees.
the proposed water features were well supported, however there were some recommendations that the central water feature should appear natural
a small number of people expressed a desire to retain the existing water feature
ensure that there is adequate seating provided for in the square
consider how businesses and residential buildings adjacent to the square can still be serviced by vehicles
consider the loss of short term car parking nearby the square
consider the impact of private developments on the square, particularly in terms of the impact of loss of sunlight and perceived increase of vehicle movements
consider how the square's design will accommodate outdoor dining
consider how no parking is enforced in the square
the appropriateness of the proposed sculpture element in the lower square was questioned by a smaller number of people
there was very little comment made with respect to replacing the existing paving.

Stakeholder consultation feedback

Outlined below are the themes that emerged during discussions with a number of our key stakeholders.

consideration of the spatial arrangement and legibility of the square
possible simplification of the lower space
treatment of paving adjoining the Cathedral
visual and pedestrian connections into and out of the square
strong support for native planting throughout the square to encourage biodiversity in the space
consideration of the proposed location of Totara
support for the proposed artworks, noting the need for the artworks to be developed in sympathy to each other (lower sculptural element and Iwi artwork)
consideration of Cathedral lighting
acknowledgement of site management issues and consideration of surrounding developments to the square

Feedback from 2006 stakeholder workshops

As part of the initial planning stages property owners, businesses, residents, interest groups and the public were invited to attend one of three initial consultation workshops over the week of 7-11 August, held in the Madison apartments in St Patrick's square. Approximately 60 people attended . The purpose of these workshops were for Auckland City to gain an understanding about what was valued about the square, and identify what the future needs for the square are. This information assisted Auckland City in the finalisation of the project's design brief. This design brief identifies the objectives for the project, and has been used to develop the draft concept design.

High level findings from workshops

Three questions were asked to gain a better appreciation about participants values and future needs for the square. They were:

"What do you currently value about St Patrick's Square?"
"What themes do you think should be considered for the square?"
"How do you think people will want to enjoy the square in 20 years time? What, if anything, needs to change for them to enjoy it more than they currently do?"

What people told us

St Patrick's Square is a green haven amongst the bustling city, an oasis of tranquillity amongst the noise of a busy business and residential area.
People called it "an area of relative quiet", "a garden in the city", where there is "space to reflect or watch people."
They like "the trees, flowers and water features" and the fact the square is a "respite from the city." They love the "open space" and the way "you can make part of the square your own."
They also value the fact that the square is "shielded from traffic noise" and cars "cannot drive straight through." There was some support for expanding the square into Swanson and Wyndham Streets.
Most people are positive about the idea of an upgrade and improving the existing square. Although people love the square currently, some feel there is "the potential to do something better."
People like the idea of any new materials introduced to the square being "natural", such as wood or stone rather than concrete.
Security and noise are a major concern, especially for local residents. They would like more lighting installed and asked for the police to further enforce the alcohol ban (which is continuous in this part of the city).
Some local residents hoped that Auckland City will increase the level of maintenance to support any improvements they make to the square.
The square is an area strong in history - a history that people would like to see celebrated more than it currently is.
The cathedral is a key element of the heritage of the area, and people support the idea of working more with the cathedral, perhaps with music, art or church rituals.
Some see it as a good place for art - either a display of sculptures or perhaps performing arts.
Some thought that by "allowing/encouraging activities to flow from the cathedral into the square" it would create "a space for performance" giving "a daytime active edge to the square."
People thought it is an appropriate place for peace, given the proximity of the church. On the whole people value the water features, especially the "sound of the cascade" of the waterfall, and they "would be extremely disappointed to see the demise of [it]".
Many people value the "human" scale of the square and they appreciate the "room to view the cathedral as a tall building". People do not want the square dominated by additional tall buildings (especially on the immediate edge of it).

Updated October 2007