Nau mai, haere mai.

Scroll down to see latest updates from Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth. For more detail about projects planned for Auckland's growth areas, check out these pages:

• North West Auckland(external link)
• South Auckland(external link)
• North Auckland(external link)
• Warkworth(external link)

20 August 2021: Update on the Supporting Growth Programme 

Following our previous programme update on 8 October 2020, a number of Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth transport projects are now continuing to progress through the business case process towards route protection (designation). These projects are part of a long-term strategic transport network that will support urban growth in Auckland over the next 10 to 30 years. 

1. Projects proceeding to route protection via Notice of Requirement:

We’re now underway with business cases, further investigations, and preparing Notices of Requirement(external link) (NoRs) to protect the land needed for the projects outlined below.

It’s important to remember that other than those projects that are included within the updated New Zealand Upgrade Programme(external link), none of these projects have funding allocated for construction within the current Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP 2021 – 2031) or the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP 2021 – 2031) funding cycle.

North West projects

• The Detailed Business Case for all North West projects, except for those within the North West Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), is nearing completion and we expect to submit it to both Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for approval late-2021 to early-2022, before proceeding to route protection.
  
  
• Preparation for route protection for projects in Redhills and Whenuapai within the North West Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) remains on hold and is dependent on future funding decisions.

South Auckland projects 

New train stations for Drury and Paerata

• As part of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, KiwiRail is delivering new train stations at Drury Central, Drury West and Paerata. This includes lodging the Notices of Requirement (NoR) and resource consents. KiwiRail has applied for the Drury Central and Paerata stations to be processed under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 to enable work to start on these stations as soon as possible. 
  
  
• Notices of Requirement (designation) will then be lodged to protect the land needed for the construction of Drury West station.
  
  
• As the project moves into the next phase, KiwiRail will be responsible for finalising the design and planning construction of the three stations. Construction is expected to start in 2023 and be completed by 2025.
  
  
• Find out more about the Auckland Metro Rail Programme(external link).

Mill Road

• Mill Road will become a smaller scale project – this was announced on 4 June 2021 by the Government as part of their changes to the New Zealand Upgrade Programme(external link).
  
  
• Find out more about the Mill Road project(external link) and other projects within the South Auckland package.

Local road upgrades in Drury and Ōpāheke

• Projects within the Drury Arterial Network were lodged for route protection with Auckland Council(external link) (Notice of Requirement) in January 2021.

2. Projects subject to further investigation or proceeding to Detailed Business Cases:

In September last year, some projects were put on hold as a result of budget constraints following the implementation of Auckland Council’s Emergency Budget due to the effect of COVID-19.

Following funding decisions through the Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP 2021 – 2031) and the Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP 2021 – 2031), some Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth projects previously identified by the Indicative Business Case will now progress to Detailed Business Cases.

Project teams have recently reformed and are now beginning their planning work for the projects outlined below:

North Auckland projects

Detailed Business Cases for all projects in Warkworth, Silverdale, Dairy Flat, Wainui and Orewa areas.

South Auckland projects

Detailed Business Case for the Takaanini Frequent Transport Network routes and safety improvements including rail crossings and grade separations.

Further investigations into the feasibility of the Pukekohe Urban Arterial, Pukekohe Expressway and connections to State Highway 22 following recent changes to the New Zealand Upgrade Programme.

Next steps

The next step is to undertake more detailed investigations for each of the North Auckland and South Auckland projects listed above. Through the Indicative Business Case process we have identified general study areas and preferred transport options that require further consideration and refinement.

This will include social, cultural, environmental and technical investigations as well as further consultation and engagement with partners, stakeholders, landowners and the community.

Keeping you informed:

As our work progresses, we’ll engage with partners, stakeholders, landowners and the community to share more information and keep everyone updated on all projects.

If you have any questions please contact us on our freephone number, 0800 GROW AKL (0800 4769 255) or email info@supportinggrowth.nz.

4 June 2021: Government announces changes to New Zealand Upgrade Programme

Today (4 June 2021) the Government has made decisions on the New Zealand Upgrade Programme that will change some projects in southern Auckland.

To meet climate change and housing objectives, as well as manage cost increases and debt responsibly following COVID-19, the Government has decided to make the following changes:  

• Mill Road will become a smaller scale project. The Government has decided on a new scope that will deliver a two lane northern section of Mill Road (Flat Bush to Alfriston, with safety improvements in the existing corridor in Takaanini) between Papakura and Drury upgrade SH1 and provide a shared path, and invest in Drury local transport upgrades, including walking and cycling and public transport connections, that support enabling additional housing.
  
  
• The existing proposals for the three sections (Takaanini, Papakura and Drury) of the Mill Road project and the Papakura to Drury South Stage Two project, including Drury South interchange, will not be progressed as part of the Government’s New Zealand Upgrade Programme.
  
  
• The Government has increased the level of rail investment to allow construction of three new rail stations in addition to rail electrification and a third rail line.

Read more about the changes to south Auckland projects here.(external link)

Click here for more information about the changes to the New Zealand Upgrade Programme.
(external link)

Further investigations and work is needed to confirm the next steps on the changed projects. This will take time but Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail will continue to work closely with partners, communities and potentially affected landowners on projects that are changing to establish what this means for them.

8 October 2020: Update on the Supporting Growth Programme

These are unprecedented times for New Zealand and we are all adapting to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In partnership with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport, the Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth team is continuing to plan necessary future transport projects as these will help contribute to the economic recovery of New Zealand. However, we too are adapting to the effects of COVID-19 which has had a significant impact on Auckland Transport and the wider Auckland Council whānau. As a result, Auckland Council has implemented an Emergency Budget which has reduced Auckland Transport’s budget. 

Programme changes:

Unfortunately, this means that some Supporting Growth projects have now been put on hold. These include:  

• All projects in Warkworth, Silverdale, Dairy Flat and Wainui.
• Pukekohe Expressway and connections to State Highway 22 and the Pukekohe Urban Arterial.
• Takaanini rail crossings (not yet started).
• Takaanini Frequent Transport Network (not yet started).
• Lodging the Notices of Requirement for projects in Redhills and Whenuapai within the North West Housing Infrastructure Fund.

Projects that are continuing:

• Mill Road is funded by the New Zealand Upgrade Programme(external link) and will be delivered by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency. Click here for information about the Mill Road project.(external link) 
• Preparation and lodgement of Notices of Requirement for new and upgraded road corridors in Drury, including and walking and cycling paths.
• Preparation and lodgement of Notices of Requirement and resource consents for new train stations at Drury Central, Drury West and Paerata.
• The Detailed Business Cases for all projects in the North West.

Keeping you informed:

Over the coming months we’ll continue to engage with partners, stakeholders and the community to share information and keep everyone updated on all projects.

If you have any questions please contact us on our freephone number, 0800 GROW AKL (0800 4769 255) or email info@supportinggrowth.nz.

About the Supporting Growth Programme

The Supporting Growth Programme is a collaboration between Auckland Transport and the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to plan transport investment in Auckland’s future urban zoned areas over the next 10 to 30 years.

Auckland in 2050 will look quite different to the Auckland we know today. The population is expected to grow by up to one million people.

Most of this growth will go into existing urban areas, however around a third will go into future urban zoned areas (greenfields) identified in the Auckland Unitary Plan. These mostly rural areas will be rezoned over the next few decades and are located within:

• Warkworth
• Wainui, Silverdale and Dairy Flat in the North
• Kumeū, Huapai Redhills, Whenuapai and Riverhead in the North West
• Takaanini, Ōpāheke, Drury, Paerata and Pukekohe in the South

In July 2019, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency confirmed an Indicative Strategic Transport Network – a shared vision for the future transport investments needed to support new neighbourhoods in the future urban zoned areas.

For more information, see the Supporting Growth Programme brochure(external link) outlining the network. 

Check out our vision for Auckland in this video:

Find out more about the transport network plan for each area by clicking on the links below:

Warkworth	North Auckland	North West Auckland	South Auckland