Auckland view shafts through another lens

When contentious landscape planning issues come up for debate, robust assessment methodology helps inform stakeholders and decision-makers alike.

A case in point is how important view shafts in the Auckland urban area are identified and their protection integrated with other planning objectives.

Boffa Miskell has recently presented expert evidence on behalf of several clients in relation to the Auckland view shaft provisions contained in proposed Plan Changes (339 and 43) to the Isthmus and Waitakere sections of the Auckland District Plan.

The issue has a long history dating back to 1973, when provision for view shaft protection was first included in the then Auckland Regional Plan.

“It’s a complex situation involving not only past history and the way the urban environment has changed, but also the future and how to accommodate the residential intensification objectives in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan,” says Boffa Miskell planner, Stuart Bracey.

Given the complex array of factors involved, a Boffa Miskell team of landscape planners, planners, video and GIS specialists developed an assessment methodology integrated with statutory planning analysis.

The assessment included such considerations as the context from which views are seen, comparison of the identified viewpoints with other viewpoints around the city, the extent to which the view shafts have been compromised by change (buildings and trees), and the potential for conflict between view shaft protection and urban intensification objectives.

GIS and video analysis

The GIS and video analysis was fundamental to evaluating the current view shafts and their role in the Auckland landscape. Up-to-date spatial information was used to accurately model both recently built and consented unbuilt form in different scenarios and assess the visibility of Auckland’s volcanic cones.

For Westfield Group, in-motion rather than static visualisation techniques were used to demonstrate the nature and quality of views experienced when crossing the Newmarket viaduct. Boffa Miskell landscape architect, Rachel de Lambert notes that, “use of a fixed image provides a poor representation of the real nature of effects and can be misleading.”

According to Stuart, the GIS and video analysis clearly illustrated how the existing view shaft protection tools directly compromised residential and urban redevelopment aspirations for clients like the Housing New Zealand Corporation and Westfield Group.

“In developing a rigorous methodology for our clients, we hope to have contributed usefully to identifying appropriate mechanisms for protecting and enhancing important views in a growing city.”

The hearings decisions are pending.