Auckland’s infrastructure

Auckland's infrastructure needs to keep up with the pace and scale of growth.

Investment in infrastructure has long-term consequences for Auckland's future, and will shape how well it functions for future generations.

The population and economic growth expected in Auckland over the next 30 years presents a number of infrastructure-related challenges and opportunities, including:

• coordinating investment and planning to enable growth in existing urban and future urban areas
• improving the performance of Auckland's infrastructure, including in relation to the Auckland Plan outcomes
• creating resilient infrastructure networks.

Significant investment by central government, council and the private sector is needed to respond to these challenges.

At the same time, Auckland must concentrate on:

• what it takes to efficiently plan and deliver infrastructure
• keeping up with advancing technology
• ensuring that the regulatory environment supports good planning and business practices.

Auckland's bulk infrastructure

Auckland's bulk infrastructure networks influence where, when and how significant urban growth can occur, especially in future urban areas.

These infrastructure networks provide essential bulk services and include:

• public transport
• roads
• wastewater
• water.

The following maps identify the projects currently needed to increase the capacity of the bulk infrastructure networks to meet and shape Auckland’s growth for the next 30 years and beyond. Projects and timeframes may alter in response to changes in growth, community expectation, funding and technology.

Interactive map – Social infrastructure

You can zoom into areas of the map and click on the icons for more information.

​Projects to expand or increase capacity in bulk infrastructure networks often require substantial public investment and have long lead times for planning and construction.

Auckland’s 30-year Infrastructure Strategy is part of Auckland Council’s Long-Term Plan - Vol 2 Section 1: Our Key Strategies [PDF 28MB]. It identifies the funding requirements for projects to increase the capacity of the infrastructure networks.

Coordinating investment and planning to enable growth

The next 30 years will require significant investment in infrastructure.

Coordinated action between public and private infrastructure providers and the development sector is needed to enable the scale of development required to accommodate Auckland's growth.

​It is crucial that this investment is coordinated and aligned with growth, in order to minimise the life-cycle costs of infrastructure, increase Auckland's productivity and achieve better environmental outcomes.

If not managed carefully, the size of infrastructure investment required may have significant financial implications for infrastructure providers and our communities.

Ensuring that infrastructure networks have sufficient capacity to service growth is critical. The sequencing of growth in development areas, and future urban areas, influences the timing of investment in the bulk networks that is needed to service these areas.

Further investment in local infrastructure will be needed as these areas grow. This will require alignment between the expansion of bulk water and transport networks, and investment in local infrastructure. This is needed particularly to service brownfield development areas and future urban areas.

Investment in Auckland’s digital networks is vital for our future. Find out more about Auckland’s Opportunity and prosperity.​

Interactive map – Sequencing and timing of growth

You can zoom into areas of the map and click on the icons for more information.

Improving the performance of Auckland's infrastructure

Even without the pressure of expected changes in Auckland's population over the next 30 years, current infrastructure assets require maintenance, renewal and replacement. Disparities in service provision across Auckland also need to be addressed.

Dealing with ageing and obsolete infrastructure

Auckland's infrastructure is not meeting current levels of demand. We also need to think ahead and plan for Auckland's future infrastructure needs.

Some of Auckland's infrastructure is getting old and will need replacing.

The investment in renewing ageing infrastructure is expected to significantly increase in the next three decades.

For example, pipe and electricity systems that were established during Auckland's post-war urban expansion from the 1940s to the 1960s now need to be progressively renewed.

In addition, some of our infrastructure systems are becoming obsolete, and do not meet modern standards.

For example, the combined wastewater and stormwater system in some parts of the isthmus are prone to overflows, with negative social and environmental impacts.

Differences in service provision

Disparities in the levels of service or performance of infrastructure across different parts of Auckland need to be addressed.

For example, the transport network provides comparatively poor access to employment opportunities from south and west Auckland.

Planned investment in the transport network, such as the construction of the City Rail Link, will help to address these issues as it will decrease travel time, particularly from the western urban area.

The design of infrastructure assets and levels of service needs to be appropriate for different locations, particularly between rural and urban areas.

Using emerging technologies

Emerging technologies will improve the performance of existing infrastructure networks and defer the need for some future investments.

The ability to collect and analyse data on a large scale will improve understanding of how individuals and households use infrastructure systems; this will in turn allow for more targeted investment.

For example, advancements in transport technology such as autonomous vehicles and real-time road user pricing, are expected to increase the capacity of existing roads.

The current rollout of smart water meters across the urban drinking water network is starting to provide insights into user behaviour and will enable real-time customer feedback on individual use.

A supportive regulatory environment will be necessary to realise the benefits of new technology.

Creating resilient infrastructure networks

Auckland's infrastructure needs to be able to:

• cope with disruptive events (such as natural disasters and human error)
• respond to on-going stresses (such as climate change)
• meet the evolving needs of Aucklanders.

Understanding the consequences and likelihood of failure, as well as the changing demands on our infrastructure systems, allows us to better manage risks to these networks.

Critical infrastructure

Failure of Auckland's critical infrastructure networks poses significant risks, as they are essential for Auckland to function.

​These networks are prioritised in renewal and maintenance programmes and in emergency contingency planning.

Development in close proximity to critical infrastructure networks, such as urbanisation near gas pipelines, needs to be managed carefully to ensure operation of these networks is not compromised and risks to Auckland and Aucklanders are avoided.

Evolving needs

Auckland's infrastructure systems need to be resilient to cope with ongoing stresses and trends, such as climate change and evolving technology.

Some locations are at increasing risk from natural hazards, due to the adverse impacts of climate change.

The construction and operation of infrastructure generate emissions.

Infrastructure assets are also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

​The growing demand for home energy generation and greater acceptance of water recycling and reuse has implications for Auckland's broader infrastructure networks.

Responding to these trends involves building greater adaptability and responsiveness in our networks.

Long-term resilience can be enhanced by infrastructure systems that serve multiple functions. For example, the green infrastructure that manages stormwater, can enhance Te Mauri o Te Wai - the life-sustaining capacity of water, and deliver localised amenity. Another example is transport corridors that also function as urban forests or stormwater systems.

Related information

• What will Auckland's city centre look like in the future
• What will Albany look like in the future
• What will Westgate look like in the future
• What will Manukau look like in the future
• What will Warkworth look like in the future
• What will Pukekohe look like in the future
• Wynyard Quarter – the changing nature of industrial land
• Placemaking at New Lynn
• Advanced industries
• Auckland's electricity network
• Auckland's horticultural production
• Auckland Plan 2050 – Full print document (PDF 36.6 MB)
• Auckland Plan 2050 – Print document - Development Strategy July 2018 (PDF 17.3 MB)
• Auckland Plan 2050 – Development Strategy - Development areas (PDF 418 KB)
• Auckland Plan 2050 – Development Strategy - Nodes combined (PDF 179 KB)
• Auckland Plan 2050 – Development Strategy - Remaining existing urban area (PDF 8.06 MB)