Where are we heading?

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Auckland Transport have now lodged confirmed designations decisions on the Notices of Requirement (NoRs) with Auckland Council for the North West Auckland projects.

The decisions on the NoRs confirmation of the designations follows NZTA and Auckland Transport receiving Council’s recommendation from their independent hearings panel. The hearing was held from 18 Setember-5 October 2023 and Council’s recommendation was issued in April 2024.

Auckland Council informed submitters and other interested parties of the decisions confirmation on 20 June, 2024 and the 15-day appeal period began then.

Below is the full list of NoRs and links.

Past phases

The Notice of Requirement documentation was lodged with Auckland Council to protect the land we need for future North West projects in December 2022. Public notification of lodgement took place on 23 March 2023, and submissions closed on 23 April 2023.

The lodgement documents are available for you to read by going to Auckland Council's website

The public hearing

The hearing took place from 18 September to 5 October 2023 where the requiring authorities (NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Auckland Transport) and all submitters had an opportunity to present and be heard.

These projects are not funded for implementation or construction which we anticipate will take place in the coming decades once funding becomes available.

Click on the orange icons to track the progress of North West Auckland.

About North West Auckland

The North West is growing – over the next 30 years an extra 100,000 people are expected to live in the area, along with 40,000 new house and 20,000 new jobs. As Kumeū-Huapai, Riverhead, Redhills, Hobsonville and Whenuapai continue to develop and grow, they will need a well-designed, sustainable transport network.

Well-connected communities enjoy lots of transport options. We’re planning essential transport infrastructure for these growth areas now - public transport, walking and cycling networks and new and improved roads will give people lots of options to move around safely and easily via a sustainable transport network. The map to the right shows our Strategic Plan for the North West.

Extending public transport connections and offering safe, accessible and sustainable travel choices, to serve future communities and to take action on climate change, is at the heart of the North West’s long-term transport network.

The majority of the proposed projects are yet to be funded for delivery. It is anticipated they will be considered for funding in line with the long-term timeframes for the rezoning and release of land by Auckland Council over the next 10-30 years.

Planning for Growth

Areas of the North West, including Kumeū-Huapai, Riverhead, and Redhills North future urban zoned areas will likelynot commence structure planning until later in the decade, and are not expected to be development ready for a further 8-12 years as a minimum. Therefore, to inform the future transport network being planned by the Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth, Auckland Council has prepared a high level Spatial Land Use Strategy – North West.

The Strategy identifies locations for future centres and business land that the transport network will support and impact upon, however it is not a structure plan and is only intended as a high-level guide. Exact future land use and zoning will be confirmed through future structure planning and associated plan changes.

Te Tupu Ngātahi Supporting Growth has considered the Strategy and associated potential for land use change in its proposed network. View more information on the Spatial Land Use Strategy – North West

A well-designed transport network for North West Auckland

A well-designed, integrated transport network is being planned now to transform how people move around the North West in the future. It includes these strategic projects which are anticipated to be delivered in the next 10 to 30 years to support growth:

• A future rapid transit corridor between Redhills North and Kumeū-Huapai to enable development of fast, frequent and high-capacity public transport.
• A station located at Huapai will enable residents from the surrounding area to access a park and ride adjacent to the station.
• A station located near the Kumeū town centre will provide access to the station by all types of transport – public transport, walk, bike, scoot, or drive
• Provision for a cycling and walking corridor alongside the rapid transit corridor connecting Whenuapai and the northern part of Redhills to Kumeū-Huapai.
• A future Alternative State Highway which will be a new route extending the existing North Western Motorway from Brigham Creek Road to State Highway 16 east of Waimauku, supporting the upgrade of the current state highway in Kumeū-Huapai town centre.
• A future new interchange at SH16 Brigham Creek Road to improve access for all areas across the North West. It will create a central connection point for a wide range of transport options, including the Alternative State Highway, new public transport routes via the rapid transit corridor, and new walking and cycling networks, to flow through.
• Future upgrades to local transport connections in Whenuapai, Redhills, Kumeū-Huapai and Riverhead.
  

A Detailed Business Case was approved by Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency in December 2021 that endorsed the preferred North West network.