City Rail Link – Combined Aotea & C1-C2 Community Liaison Group Meeting MINUTES AND ACTION POINTS Rā: Wā: Wāhi:
3 July 2019 5:30pm – 7:30pm Level 17, AMP Building, 29 Customs Street West, Auckland Central
ATTENDEES
CRL staff & contractors
CLG Members
Dale Burtenshaw (DB)
Deputy Director, Link Alliance
Richard Jenkins (RJ)
Principal Planner, Link Alliance
Sonya Leahy (SL)
Stakeholder Communications Manager – Link Alliance
Maria HernandezCurry (MHC)
Stakeholder Communications Manager – CRL Ltd
J Naran – Roma Blooms
Alisdair Simpson (AS)
Senior Planner, Link Alliance
D Brown – resident
Rachel Blundell
Communications & Engagement Manager, Link Alliance
Hugh Leersnyder (HL)
Planning & Environmental Principal, Link Alliance
Gerry Goodwin
C3 Owners Interface Manager, CRL Ltd
Alan HowardSmith
Stakeholder Manager, Connectus
Mark Anderson (MA)
Utilities Manager, Link Alliance
Matt Sinclair (MS)
Aotea Station Construction Manager, Link Alliance
Kim Hardy
Technical Director – Planning, Link Alliance
Lucas Nikkel
C2 Construction Manager
P Coom – Waitemata Local Board K Ross – resident T Loveridge – Heart of the City Y Kuroda – Daikoku B Manoonpong – Mai Thai S Ranchhodji – Roma Blooms
R Baxter – Prince Albert Apartments P McLuckie – 148 Quay St L Walker – Precinct Properties R Smart – SkyCity Entertainment B Thompson – Auckland Council Norm K McKee-Wright – Manhattan Apartments B Castle – Manhattan Apartments J Abel-Pattinson – Blackstone Group
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UPDATE/ACTIONS
1
Welcome and introductions
• Sonya welcomed everyone and introduced the meeting agenda. • CLG members in attendance introduced themselves.
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2
Link Alliance introduction
• DB provided an overview of the Link Alliance, and introduced Link Alliance staff in the room. CRL staff and contractors were also introduced. • DB then provided an overview of Link Alliance works and discussed why an alliance is a good structure to complete largescale infrastructure projects. • DB has also been the Construction Manager for C1 (CRL’s lower Queen Street and Britomart works). He then acknowledged the challenges ahead with regard to works. • An overview of all contracts that make up the CRL project was provided, including the C3 (main tunnels and stations) contract. • Investigations of utilities over the next month including works planning and programming is required for utility diversions. This will need to happen for the Aotea and Karangahape areas to start with. • Early works – including checking for and removing asbestos - will then lead to demolition works at Karangahape, Beresford Square and Mt Eden. • The Link Alliance team is currently mobilising. There will eventually be a staff of around 300 people – with 120 already employed. • The Project Alliance Agreement will be signed later this month. However, because of the structure of an alliance, they are able to get started on works before an agreement is signed. This means that the alliance can continue their momentum. • DB said that the Link Alliance is currently building their communication and engagement team, who are planning their engagement with stakeholders where work is starting first. • SL added that Link Alliance will soon have more involvement in the C5 (Western Line works) and C7 (line-wide rail systems) contracts.
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Aotea Station overview
• MS presented the current work on planning and phasing to deliver Aotea Station. The first thing to undertake is utility investigations, which are expected to commence in mid to late-August along Albert St, Victoria St and Wellesley St. • Using maps, MS described the required relocation of construction boxes, as well as the further canopy removals required, a wall structure to be installed from the southern end of the station to Wellesley Street, and piling from Wyndham Street south. • A site office will be installed at what is currently Bledisloe Carpark.
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Aotea Station utilities diversion
• MA provided an overview of the underground services that need to be first investigated, then diverted along Albert Street for the Aotea station works. There will be around 12 investigations all together. • Using maps, MA provided an overview of works involved in the utilities investigations and diversion. Works would be noisy, and include concrete cutting and excavation. Noise mats will be used to buffer noise. • A CLG member requested clarity on what these works involved, why they were being done and where services would be relocated to. • MA explained that the Aotea station roof was going to be one metre underground, so it would be extremely dangerous to put services back on top of the roof. The plan is to relocate everything out of the station alignment – to go under footpaths. • MA also showed the services currently underground on a map. Placement is haphazard and there is a multitude of them. Page | 2
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UPDATE/ACTIONS
• A CLG member asked where exactly utility works would be happening, and Mark confirmed that this would be along Albert Street from Wyndham moving south. • Another challenge to this work is because footpaths are narrow, and because the station will take up the entire road corridor. The program of works will start in late August. • Mark described where barriers would be erected while these works are happening. In some places this will mean altering pedestrian routes. These works will be happening in stages, which means there will be some pedestrian route switches. On footpaths, a combined service trench 1.5m wide and deep will be dug. Everything from communications, electricity, gas and water is going to be in that combined service trench. There will be up to eight ducts. • Tania asked if access will be maintained for all entrances during works. • MA confirmed that this would be the case, and there would be a Traffic Management Plan in place as well. The Link Alliance confirmed it would work with businesses and residents on this. • A CLG member asked what the black line was on the plans shown, and MA responded that it was the pipe line, or just showing the wall. • LN stated that the bluestone wall was getting moved a metre and a half east. This will happen next year. MS added that the bluestone wall was scheduled to come down next year, and it would then be reinstated around 2022. • A CLG member asked if the loading zone on the corner of Albert St and Victoria St will remain. MA responded that at this stage it would, however at the next stage it would move. • A CLG member described the impacts that these works would have on businesses, describing the impact to the flow of traffic and people. He asked if a study had been conducted to forecast what the impacts would be. DB responded that this type of investigation would be undertaken as part of creating a development response framework. • A CLG member then asked if the Link Alliance will be consulting with businesses on what the impacts would be. DB responded that it would be communicating with businesses and residents to find out what the difficulties will be with regard to movement of utilities. • Tania asked about the social impact work that had been undertaken for the canopy work – is this a whole new Delivery Work Plan? RJ confirmed that it is, although it will be the same sort of format as the current Delivery Work Plan. Further consultation is due to start happening next week. • Tania added that it felt late to start developing plans, considering it’s July now, and works are due to start in August. She asked if there was any ability to respond to the needs of businesses considering the short timeframes. • DB responded that the CLG meeting this evening was just about giving a general overview. The Link Alliance was not able to start going out and consulting without doing this first. That consultation process can now go ahead, and the Link Alliance will need to go through resource consent conditions, including proper consultation. They are working hard to ensure that the best outcome for those impacted are provided. • SL added that CLGs played an important part in this because they are able to directly input into what’s contained in those draft plans. CLG members will be given an opportunity soon to speak to specialists that prepare these documents and to provide direct feedback on them. This will help the Link Alliance to develop the best possible mitigation plans. • MA then provided further information on the different stages of the utility diversion works. • A CLG member added that they felt they were given an extremely short amount of time to view and understand these works.
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UPDATE/ACTIONS
• A CLG member added that October was not far away. It means that they only have two months to get prepared, and there really hasn’t been consultation with affected businesses which is extremely frustrating for them. • A CLG member added that this is the first CLG meeting he’s been to. They have never been invited to a meeting, and he was frustrated that this is the first opportunity they’ve had to see what’s coming up. These works are only two months away, and the business is already affected. Because of the tight timeframes it really limits their options to react to what’s going on. • A CLG member asked when they were planning on speaking with businesses. DB responded that the Link Alliance will be speaking with all affected businesses. The consultation process will happen, and what is being presented tonight won’t be verbatim what’s going forward, but it is an idea of what’s coming up. • DB added that he appreciated that it is a short amount of time. The intent is to start consultation next week. Consultation needed to follow on from introductions. We are all here to try and do this as best we can with the least impact. You will be involved with those discussions. • HL added that there were clearly a lot of people that the Link Alliance needed to communicate with in a short period of time – we know we need to talk to you in the next few weeks. We do appreciate the short timeframe. • MA added that we were working in stages, and would keep trenches open for as short a period of time as possible. This is a rolling piece of work, and we will have bridges over the trenches to make it as easy as possible for all involved. • SL added that we were looking for better representation of the area. The first invitation to the CLG meetings were originally sent out in 2015 but we have recently asked online, on social media and through the business associations, for expressions of interest from people wanting to join their local CLG. We will promote this further. • A CLG member responded that the best way to communicate would be face to face. Yes, email works, but a lot of emails go into spam. • MA then described stage 3 of works, saying that the Link Alliance would be working with everyone as much as possible, including with regard to timing and entrances to properties. We will be working close to boundary lines, will not be using hoardings, but will be putting in waterproof barriers and fencing. This was seen as creating less impact than hoardings. • A CLG member asked how many hours a day the Link Alliance will work. MA responded that working hours would be 7am to 6pm, with potential weekends or public holidays if catch-up work was required.
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Planning required for works
• AS described the management plans being developed in line with CRL designation requirements, covering the areas that management plans will be developed for. These will be brought to another CLG meeting later in the month. The Link Alliance would bring authors of plans to the next meeting and dependent on feedback hoped to have these lodged for the end of August. • Consultation was to start next week for affected properties shown. CLGs will be able to provide feedback on the effects for the area. • SL added that before the next CLG meeting, summaries of draft management plans would be sent. The Link Alliance would appreciate feedback at the next CLG meeting.
6
General project update
• DB provided an overview of what was happening at Karangahape and Mt Eden demolitions, showing maps of all buildings coming down for works.
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UPDATE/ACTIONS
• RB then provided an overview of the communications and engagement planning for the Link Alliance. She described the ways the alliance were going to engage. Development response was very important to ensure people were supported throughout the process. One of the key features of engagement for Albert St is that it will have an integrated approach. There is one key staff member who would continue to provide this support across all of Albert Street, including providing marketing campaigns, activations and events. • LN then provided an update for existing works on the C2 contract • A CLG asked if the site sheds on the street would be removed. LN responded that a couple of site sheds outside AA building would remain. • LN then provided an update on traffic switches. As we finish working on sections of the footpath, we are putting the street back together. • A CLG member asked about the pedestrian crossing change by Swanson Street. LN responded that we may need to move it slightly, but there will always be a pedestrian crossing. • DB gave an update on C1 works. • A CLG member requested information about the street cleaning to the area. Waitemata Local Board chair responded that a new contractor for Auckland Council had just started, who was responsible for a much higher level of service. • Waitemata Local Board chair also asked that at the next CLG meeting, they could discuss what was being improved with cleaning. • SL asked if the CLG members from the Britomart area would feel more commonality with the Downtown project. She stated that we were reviewing how we operate our CLGs. • A CLG member asked if it would be cut and cover work from Wyndham Street south. MS confirmed it was, and DB added that it was a little different from the cut and cover work from Wyndham Street north. • A CLG member asked how close works would be to businesses. MS responded that it varied and DB added that the Link Alliance would come and talk to businesses and show plans. • A CLG member said that there had been no clear communication that the works would continue to be cut and cover. Dale responded that this had been known the whole time, and Tania added this information had not been communicated publicly. Continued cut and cover would have quite an impact on the environment. • The CLG member then asked for more information about construction methodology and the management plans. Dale responded that this would be discussed further. • A CLG member asked how often CLGs meet. SL responded it was every three months, however with works ramping up it may need to happen more frequently. RB added that the approach to CLGs would be governed by the group. • A CLG member asked if they would consider working 24 hours a day. There are things that could be done at night with little noise. RJ responded that noise levels became much more restrictive at night. Tunnelling will happen 24/7 as noise is a lot easier to manage. • A CLG member asked about records for meetings, and MHC responded that presentations made at CLGs and minutes would be available online.
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