What will Auckland's city centre look like in the future

The city centre is Auckland's primary centre.

It plays a critical role in the success of both Auckland and New Zealand.

One of its strengths is the concentration of population and economic activity.

It is the main location for business, tourism, educational, cultural and civic activities in Auckland, and includes the city fringe areas of Parnell, Grafton, Newmarket, Newton and Ponsonby.

It is supported by the Albany, Westgate and Manukau nodes.

The city centre

Auckland's city centre has changed substantially over the past 10 to 15 years, as a result of significant public and private investment in infrastructure and development projects.

Public investment has revitalised areas that were once run down, such as Britomart and Wynyard Quarter on Auckland's waterfront, and has been the catalyst for further private investment.

A number of developments have contributed to making the city centre a much more welcoming place for people, such as:

• shared spaces, where neither cars nor pedestrians have priority
• public space improvements
• improved public transport services.

There has been substantial growth in the city centre resident population. There are now  over 80,000 people living in the city centre and fringe areas.

The city centre is the largest and fastest growing employment centre in New Zealand. Infometrics report there were 114,264 filled jobs in 2016, including those who were self-employed. (Infometrics, 2017).  

An estimated 17 per cent of Auckland's gross domestic product is generated from the city centre alone. (Auckland Council, 2017)

In addition to the greater number of people living in the city centre, it is well served by the transport network and draws people from as far afield as rural Auckland and northern Waikato.

Continuing investment in infrastructure, such as cycleways and the City Rail Link, means that increasing numbers of people can easily access the city centre.