On September 19 2023, Property Council submitted to Auckland Council on their Funding Auckland’s Storm Recovery and Resilience consultation. This is regarding the proposed co-funding agreement between Auckland Council and the Crown for $2 billion of flood recovery and resilience works (including Making Space for Water).
Why this matters to our members
Property Council advocates for the creation and retention of a well-designed, functional and sustainable built environment. It is important that the voice of the property sector is heard when it comes to significant proposed expenditure on flood mitigation across Auckland.
Our view
Our submission expressed several unanswered questions regarding the proposal, but we ultimately recommend that Auckland Council accept the funding offer from central government. In terms of Category 3 property buyouts, we recommend Auckland Council and the Crown undertake legal advice to uphold the Court decisions and lessons learnt from the Christchurch red-zone acquisitions.
At a high level, we recommend that Auckland Council:
- Accept the proposed funding package from central government;
- Develop alternative funding and financing tools in time for the Long Term Plan 2024;
- Engage with stakeholders in greater depth on the proposed approach to flood mitigation across Auckland; and
- Undertakes legal advice (along with the Crown) to uphold the Court decisions and lessons learnt from the Christchurch red-zone acquisitions.