Category Archives: Urbanism

Emerging Auckland

Posted on September 9, 2018 by Vernon Tava

Emerging Auckland is a Development Tracker & ‘Urban Showcase’ recording and tracking significant private developments and civic infrastructure projects across Auckland City Centre and within the City Fringe, or ‘inner Auckland’ isthmus area – that are proposed, under construction, or … Continue reading →

Posted in Resource Consents, Urbanism, Waitemata | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Valuation of Trees in Auckland

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Vernon Tava

In the course of reading a resource consent application for a tree removal recently, I came across the standard accepted method for assessing the value of trees in order to work out the cost of mitigation (i.e. what new trees … Continue reading →

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51-53 Albert Street ‘Saffron’/IHG Indigo Development

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Vernon Tava

I don’t often write up individual resource consents outside my monthly Local Board reports but there has been enough public interest in the IHG Indigo hotel development at 51-53 Albert Street that I think it justifies its own post. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Auckland Council, Urbanism, Waitemata Local Board | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Council Played for Saps with Closure of Public Toilet at 151 Queen Street

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Vernon Tava

Brian Rudman has written a cutting and typically historically-informed piece on the closure of the Wyndham Street public toilets, part of the 151 Queen Street SAP building:  Auckland Council saps secretly remove Wyndham Street’s Loos.  The opening says it all: … Continue reading →

Posted in Bonus floor, bonus floor provisions, Urbanism, Waitemata Local Board | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Bonus Floor Spaces, Public Access Ways, Viewing Platforms, Lanes, Public Toilets and Drinking Fountains in Auckland’s Central City

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Vernon Tava

There are over 60 public access routes around or via private buildings throughout central Auckland. I have mapped them below with accessibility taken into account by marking stairs or escalators with a stair icon. Also mapped are toilets and drinking … Continue reading →

Posted in Bonus floor, bonus floor provisions, Local Board, Maps, Urbanism, Waitemata, Waitemata Local Board | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Generation Zero Grade for 2016 Local Government Elections

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Vernon Tava

Each local government election, Generation Zero – a youth-led organization founded with the central purpose of providing solutions for New Zealand to cut carbon pollution through smarter transport, liveable cities & independence from fossil fuels – assess and grade each mayoral, governing body and … Continue reading →

Posted in Urbanism, Waitemata Local Board | Leave a comment

Re-Imagining Great North Road

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Vernon Tava

On May 10, the Waitematā Local Board resolved unanimously to approve my motion to allocate $10,000 from its Community Empowerment Fund to the Grey Lynn Residents Association (GLRA) to lead a community-led precinct vision for the area of Great North Road … Continue reading →

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A new Minister for Cities and the Built Environment Announced in Australia: a model for NZ?

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Vernon Tava

Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has just announced a new Federal Ministry for Cities and the Built Environment and appointed Jamie Briggs MP as the first holder of this warrant.  He said: We often overlook the fact that liveable cities, … Continue reading →

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St Luke’s Pohutukawa Consigned to Removal by NoR Hearing Panel

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Vernon Tava

Today the Waitemata Local Board was informed that the hearing panel on the Notice of Requirement (NoR) for the Pohutukawa trees (I’ve written about this in detail at the link) at 820 Great North Road has recommended that Auckland Transport (AT) … Continue reading →

Posted in Auckland Council, motorways, Urbanism | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Is This A City That Needs More Motorways?

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Vernon Tava

Today I’ve been following the debate in Auckland Council’s Governing Body about a referendum (defeated) and consultation (passed) on funding the city’s transport funding gap for motorways. I came across this beautiful image and it prompted the question in my … Continue reading →

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