Blue-green network projects

Making Space for Water and our current blue-green projects

We have identified 12 park and waterway areas around Auckland that can be used to help reduce flooding. These areas will help contain excess flooding, keeping more water away from residential areas. These systems are called blue-green networks and are part of our Making Space for Water programme.

We have been completing feasibility assessments for these 12 areas to understand the costs and benefits of building blue-green network projects.

Blue-green project stages

The 12 projects are at different stages. Each one is either:

• approved to begin
• going through an approval process
• rejected as a blue-green network but with ongoing solution research.

Some of these blue-green projects are:

• co-funded by Auckland Council and central government
• linked to the Recovery Office's Category 3 buy-out.

Blue-green project locations

This document shows the locations of blue-green network projects.

Blue-green project development stages

We develop blue-green projects in five stages. This process includes feedback from many people, including technical and environmental experts, mana whenua, local community groups and representatives.

Large projects like these can be expensive and disruptive. This five-stage process is expected to help with planning and completion times.

1. Feasibility assessment

A feasibility assessment helps our Healthy Waters department decide:

• if there is a stormwater solution that could reduce flooding
• whether the project is practical and affordable
• whether the project is likely to get Governing Body and central government approval.

2. Concept design

The concept design stage includes:

• an initial business case to predict benefits and costs
• feedback from mana whenua and the local board.

Once this is done, the Governing Body and central government decide whether to approve the project.

3. Preliminary design

If approved, we develop and share the initial design with the community. Once the design is more fully developed, we apply for a resource consent. The resource consent includes:

• possible environmental impacts
• feedback from the community.

4. Detailed design

When resource consent requirements are met, we the create a final business case, which includes:

• detailed costs
• technical design
• engineering plans.

From here, the Governing Body and central government can give approval to begin construction.

5. Construction

When funding and designs are approved, the council can sign contracts with construction partners and construction can begin.

Ongoing blue-green network projects

We are continuing work on these blue-green network projects:

Email bluegreen@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and ask to be added to our future developments mailing list.