Concerns over Auckland's Queen St redesign could prompt legal action by opponents

Saturday, 24 April 2021

More than two dozen shops are empty on Auckland's Queen Street as the economic effect of Covid-19 begins to bite. (April 2020)

Auckland’s biggest business association could take legal action against the council over proposed changes to the city’s ‘golden mile’, which it claims aren’t good enough.

Auckland Council, alongside Auckland Transport, wants to make Queen St more people-friendly, while accommodating traffic flows changed by the closure of Albert and Victoria streets as part of the City Rail Link construction.

Changes included making part of the road bus-only, widening footpaths and public spaces and replacing concrete blocks and plastic sticks currently on the street with planter boxes, to create more pedestrian and cycling space.

The changes will mean alterations made to Queen St during 2020 to allow more social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic will become permanent.

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An artist’s impression of how the lower end of Auckland's Queen Street would look once upgraded.

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Proposed changes to Auckland's Queen Street will alter traffic flows and create bus-only sections from mid-2021.

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Mayor Phil Goff has praised the changes, but members of Auckland CBD business association Heart of the City were not impressed.

Now, its chief executive Viv Beck said the business association had joined forces with campaign group Save Queen Street in persuading Auckland Council to engage in further discussions about the proposed changes.

Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck said Auckland Council’s plan for Queen St was underwhelming and lacking innovation.

While it was supportive of the notion of transforming the city, it needed to be done once and done right, she said.

She expected council would let them know by Tuesday if it would proceed with those discussions.

“Legal action will follow depending on the outcome of that,” she said.

Auckland Council had gone back on its promise to remove the plastic sticks installed on Queen St to allow for social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic early in 2020, Beck said.

Beck admitted it would be great to avoid legal action, however the business association felt there was no other choice.

“It’s been a flawed process,” she said.

Beck believed the council had broken its promise by not removing the concrete blocks and plastic sticks installed on Queen St last year.

“Co-designing includes working with stakeholders at the beginning, so you understand all the issues that need to be dealt with from various users, which is worked through before deciding final steps.”

“What’s happened here, is you’re starting with something already in place. That’s a fundamental flaw in our view.”

Other issues included a lack of innovation like what has been seen overseas, she said.

For example, officials in Sydney had consulted with businesses to find out when they received their deliveries to coordinate a plan that made good use of space and loading zones.

“We’re supportive of transformation, we know there are great examples happening around the world,” she said.

An area that was particularly lacking innovation was the proposal to leave Auckland Town Hall without a loading zone, which was often used by performers to unpack gear, and where elderly customers get dropped off.

“That has a big impact on an organisation that relies on great access, not only for themselves, but their customers,' Beck said, adding that those things should have been considered as part of “well-consulted co-designing”.

“Queen St is a really important street. It’s got commercial, civic, cultural and social functions,” she said.

Asked what legal action might do to Heart of the City’s longstanding relationship with Auckland Council, Beck said it should not come as a surprise.

“We’ve raised our views consistently.”

An Auckland Council spokeswoman said it didn't comment on threats of legal action.

In a statement, Goff said Auckland Council staff had multiple discussions with different parties regarding the future of Queen St, including business owners, residents’ organisations and Heart of the City.

“Those discussions are ongoing and will continue as we seek to make Queen St and the surrounding area a more inviting place to live, work and visit.”

Feedback on the proposed changes to Queen St can but submitted here until May 7.