April 7, 2021

NZ Urban Development news from the media | 7 April 2021 | Next steps for Auckland light rail

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Hi *|FNAME|*, Please find below Urban Development News from the media from the week of 7 April 2021.

Provided by Rockhopper Development Management & Advisory, a member of:

Next steps for Auckland light rail

Transport Minister Michael Wood is getting Auckland light rail back on track with the announcement of an establishment unit to progress this important city-shaping project and engage with Aucklanders.

“There’s wide-ranging support for rapid transit but Aucklanders felt shut out of the project. Today I’m drawing a line under that and involving Aucklanders from the get-go.
“Light rail is a critical investment to develop a modern, connected mass-transit system in New Zealand’s largest city, supporting jobs, growth, and housing.

“Without decisive investment in mass transit Auckland will choke on its own growth. Light rail will support growth in Māngere, Onehunga, and Mount Roskill in particular, connecting these communities and giving people the option to leave the car at home, which will help reduce congestion and emissions.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/next-steps-auckland-light-rail-0

Astonishing engineering and meticulous restoration sees CPO reopen

After four years of City Rail Link-related closure, innovative construction and meticulous restoration are celebrated today with Auckland’s historic Chief Post Office (CPO) returned to the city, ready to resume its role as the ‘front door’ to the Britomart Transport Centre.

The re-opening follows a complex engineering feat to remove original support columns out of the way of the City Rail Link tunnels and transfer the CPO’s weight to new foundations without damaging the Category A-listed heritage building (as listed in the Unitary Plan).

https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2021/04/astonishing-engineering-and-meticulous-restoration-sees-cpo-reopen/

Major hotel chain Millennium & Copthorne cans hotel development in Whangarei

Large hotel chain Millennium & Copthorne has announced it is canning plans to build a 70-80 bed, four-star hotel in Whangarei as the Government is about to announce a travel bubble with Australia.

Millennium & Copthorne managing director BK Chiu said the tourism and accommodation landscape had “changed beyond measure” since it had entered into a conditional agreement to buy land in the Whangarei CBD from the Whangarei District Council.

“We are disappointed that we are not able to proceed with the proposed development but the landscape for tourism and accommodation has changed beyond measure since the agreement for the land was entered into in 2019”, Chiu said.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124754647/major-hotel-chain-millennium--copthorne-cans-hotel-development-in-whangarei-because-tourism-changed-beyond-measure