A public consultation for the future use of Western Springs offered four options – either a football stadium, an amphitheatre for concerts, exploring other ideas, or keeping the status quo.
The multi-purpose football stadium, dubbed Auckland Arena, would have become the new home of the Auckland FC A-League club.
It was privately funded by entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and her husband Ali Williams, who played for the All Blacks.
Auckland FC owner Bill Foley was another investor alongside NBA player Steven Adams. The facility would have had basketball courts and wellness facilities.
On Tuesday, it was revealed the Auckland Arena proposal had been pulled.
Auckland Council’s economic development agency Tataki Auckland Unlimited published its analysis of the public consultation process this week.
Speaking with Radio New Zealand, Tataki Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill said the Auckland Arena proposal was the favourite.
“We were disappointed to hear of the withdrawal of the Auckland Arena proposal,” he said.
“The EOI evaluation panel and our board had deemed it to be the most positive solution for Auckland.”
Tataki Auckland Unlimited was poised to address the council on July 31, where it would have recommended Auckland Arena.
Instead, the recommendation will be pushed back beyond the upcoming local election in October.
“Western Springs Stadium is a historic and valued asset with huge potential,” said Hill.
“We need to consider the public consultation feedback before deciding next steps.
“We are committed to making a recommendation that will deliver positive outcomes and provide certainty for Aucklanders.”
The consultation ran from May 19 to June 15, drew 14,894 submissions, and revealed “a wide range of views, with no clear majority for any one option.”
Auckland Council said 33 percent of submissions indicated a preference for the option to explore other ideas.
The Western Springs Bowl amphitheatre concept received 30 percent of the support while 21 percent preferred the Auckland Arena.
A total of 16 percent preferred to keep “things as they are,” the council said.
Feedback from organisations was evenly split. Western Springs Bowl or the option to explore other ideas received 33 percent of support while the Auckland Arena received 29 percent.
Only three percent of the organisations consulted wanted the status quo.
More than a quarter of submissions came from the Albert-Eden or Waitemata boards.
Over a quarter of submissions (27 per cent) came from residents in either the Albert-Eden or Waitematā Local Board areas.
Submissions were otherwise relatively well distributed across most Auckland local board areas.
“Following the recent withdrawal of the Auckland Arena proposal, TAU has advised that further work is required to assess the remaining options before it can recommend an appropriate path forward,” Auckland Council said in a statement.
“Both the council and TAU are committed to finding a long-term option that builds on the valuable feedback already received and that maximises the use of this important regional asset.
“The consultation results will be used to help inform further advice to the Governing Body, which is now expected to be provided early in the new council term.”
CLICK HERE for the full Auckland Council report
Discussion about this post