Crown to buy and demolish harbourfront homes worth $23m to build Auckland's new cycle and pedestrian bridge
Seven harbourfront homes worth an estimated $23.4m are to be bought and demolished by the Government to make way for Auckland’s new $785m cycling and walking bridge.
Residents on Princes St in the upmarket North Shore suburb of Northcote Point were first told the Crown needed to acquire their homes in March last year.
Back then, the plan was for the Northern Pathway to be built as an attachment to the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge, with the properties needing to make way for the project's off-ramp.
That plan was dropped in favour of the new cycling bridge announced by the Government last week. But the homes – worth an average of $3.3m each – still have to go.
Click 'read more' for our full report.
Poll: Is the increase in disability parking fines fair?
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
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89.2% Yes, it's fair
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10% No, it's unreasonable
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0.8% Other - I'll share below
Riddle Time! Sharpen Your Mind and Take the Challenge!
Where is the only place where today comes before yesterday?
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Smoke in Mt Wellington
Smoke has been seen coming from the crater of the Auckland maunga Mt Wellington.
Images of the smoke began appearing on social media on Friday afternoon.
Around 1.45pm, Fire and Emergency (Fenz) shift manager Josh Pennefather told the NZ Herald a crew was fighting a fire of about 60 square metres in size.
”It’s spreading up hill … [but] there’s no property at risk at this stage,” Pennefather said.
Six fire trucks were in attendance working to contain a grass fire that's spreading up the maunga.
A helicopter was on its way to assist firefighting efforts, he added.
At 2pm, Pennefather shared that the fire was contained and they were working to extinguish it, including “keeping an eye on a whole bunch of hot spots“.