North Auckland

View the latest project updates for North Auckland
(external link)

Silverdale, Dairy Flat, Wainui and Ōrewa are growing fast. The areas of land zoned for future growth are expected to accommodate 41,000 new homes and more than 600 hectares of new business land will be developed.

To support future urban growth, a well-designed integrated transport network for North Auckland is needed. We’re proposing long-term transport projects to help everyone move around safely, easily and sustainably, whether they’re walking, cycling, using public transport or driving.

To guide our planning, Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency outlined a long-term strategic transport network in 2019. It was developed with community consultation and contains options for local and longer distance trips to create a low-carbon transport system for North Auckland. Since then, the project team has investigated and developed a number of preferred options.

Key features of the long-term transport network for North Auckland: 

Improved access to jobs and social facilities
Reliable access for the movement of people and goods
Provide travel choices to encourage a shift to active modes (walking and cycling) and public transport
Provide a safe transport system for all users
Ensure the transport network is well integrated with the land use.

We’re working with Auckland Council to integrate our transport planning with Auckland Council’s land use aspirations for the Future Urban Zone (including the Silverdale West Dairy Flat Industrial Area Structure Plan(external link) and a future Dairy Flat metropolitan/town centre(external link) to create high-quality and more compact future communities with greater access to walking, cycling and public transport choices.)

What long-term projects are we proposing?

We’re protecting land to enable the future development of a range of long-term transport projects:

A new 16km rapid transit corridor(external link) from Albany via Dairy Flat and onto Milldale providing efficient, frequent, high-quality public transport
Improved public transport connections(external link) for the wider area with bus priority on key routes including a high frequency bus route connecting Ōrewa and Silverdale
25km of new walking and cycling paths(external link) across North Auckland
Improvements to State Highway 1 (SH1)(external link) including additional space to cater for more people moving around in the future, upgraded interchanges at Redvale and Silverdale and a new interchange at Wilks Road.

Where are we heading?

The North Detailed Business Case is expected to be completed mid-2023 to be considered by the Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi Boards. 

We anticipate lodging Notice of Requirement documentation to support route protection of the preferred alignments late 2023.

Meetings with potentially impacted landowners took place over June, July and August and are ongoing as required.

These meetings help provide more certainty about possible property impacts and the Notice of Requirement process.

We currently anticipate submitting Notices of Requirement to Auckland Council in late 2023. Auckland Council will then formally notify property owners, who can submit and be heard at a hearing if they choose, as part of a decision making process.(external link)

The majority of these projects are yet to be funded for delivery. It is anticipated they will be considered for funding in line with the long-term timeframes for the rezoning and release of land by Auckland Council.

Our planning work will integrate with Auckland Council’s land use plans including the draft Spatial Land Use Strategy for Dairy Flat and Silverdale(external link) and the Silverdale West Dairy Flat Industrial Area Structure Plan(external link) to support future growth for these areas.

Auckland Council also consulted on their Future Development Strategy from 6 June 2023 to 31 July 2023. The FDS aims to provide long term guidance on how the Council plans for the location and timing of urban development and the timing and sequencing of infrastructure to support development. The FDS seeks to provide a long-term strategy for growth that responds to factors such as climate change and natural hazards.

The outcome of the FDS consultation will be an important consideration in the North Auckland Te Tupu Ngātahi projects.

You can find out more About the FDS here:

https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/future-development-strategy(external link)

Other transport projects transforming North Auckland

A number of other transport projects are already underway or being planned to transform the north of Auckland. Our programme will need to consider how these other projects relate to the long term vision for the north. Projects include:

O Mahurangi - Penlink(external link) (an alternative route between Whangaparāoa and State Highway 1)
Dairy Flat Highway Safety Improvements(external link)
Works to support the live-zoned areas of Milldale(external link) are being funded by Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP)
Waitemata Harbour Connections Project(external link) – a study looking at the future of the Rapid Transit Corridor and highway corridors between the city and Albany
North Shore rapid transit network(external link) – investigating a long-term rail solution to serve the North Shore and connect with the rest of the Auckland transport network
The Rodney Targeted Rate(external link) is funding footpath improvements between Dairy Flat School and Postmans Road to make it safer and easier for pedestrians to move around.