Tamaki Innovation Precinct Plan

Gearing up for business growth | Benefits | Map | Our role | Overseas examples | Visit by Professor John Allen | Lecture by Jane Davies | Get involved

Gearing up for business growth

We are promoting the idea of a science based industry and research precinct in the business area at Tamaki.

The precinct, to be known as the Tamaki Innovation Precinct, would attract knowledge and science based industries over a 20 to 30 year period. The project will be realised through our precinct planning process.

Successful future planning has already been completed in the Rosebank Peninsula business area.

We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to create an innovation precinct here because a major new research and technology development is proposed in the area.

This development will attract research organisations and businesses that will benefit from proximity to the research-focused campus and each other.

Fostering development of a wider innovation precinct around this hub makes sense, but it requires planning.

Benefits

Careful development of a precinct like this can help local businesses already in the area and can ultimately deliver more trade to these companies, meaning more growth over time.

It can also make the environment for those businesses more pleasant and exciting.

The business neighbourhood in Tamaki has a wealth of potential. It is:

• close to motorways, railway, main roads, large pools of skilled labour, and shopping
• next to the University of Auckland's Tamaki research campus
• already occupied by support and service industries
• low density, with potential for higher density
• known for local amenities, for example Mt Wellington, an iconic landmark
• close to residential development at the former Mt Wellington quarry site, town centre improvements at Glen Innes and Panmure, the rail station upgrade at Glen Innes and will benefit from planned transport improvements, such as the Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative.

Map

Map of Tamaki Innovation Precinct (434kb) PDF

To view PDFs download Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website. Further help on how to view PDFs.

Our role

We play a key role in promoting and managing growth in the city. While not directly involved in funding or investing in business, our role is to ensure its planning paves the way for business expansion. Our strategies are focused on fostering higher productivity in Auckland and higher value output from industries.

To help achieve our goals, we work with business and other stakeholders to develop business precinct plans in key business locations around the city.

Our role is to:

• set the regulatory environment
• apply appropriate zoning controls
• provide infrastructure, including some transport and utilities
• provide quality street environments and public open space
• develop partnerships
• involve local business and other stakeholders
• use its land holdings for strategic purposes  
• undertake catalytic or transformational projects where there is potential.

Some ideas for us to take action in support of the proposed Tamaki Innovation Precinct are to:

• change the zoning in some areas of the precinct in the 2010 review of the Isthmus District Plan to develop a high amenity business setting
• work with the University of Auckland and others to attract businesses, researchers and new investment
• coordinate effective broadband provision
• provide support for business networks
• facilitate easier availability of business advice
• improve access to the area through AMETI, advocate for the reopening of the Tamaki Rail station and carry out cycling and walking improvements
• create better links to the Glen Innes town centre
• develop new quality open space at Purchas Hill.

We will consider these ideas in developing a draft plan that will be available for feedback in late 2008.

Overseas examples

Internationally, science parks and research and development precincts are an intrinsic part of central and local government strategy for city business development. We will look at what would work best locally and learn from successful precincts overseas which include:

• Manchester Science Park in the UK
• Stockholm's Kista Science City
• the Cambridge Science Park in the UK
• and the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, USA.

Typically, these precincts are successful when located close to a university and other infrastructure as is found in Tamaki. They take time to develop, but grow to sustain large employee numbers and student populations, and generate high value goods and services.

They are incubators for business innovation and improve productivity for the cities and countries that host them.

Visit by Professor John Allen

Professor John Allen, former head of the UK Science Parks Association gave a public lecture in May at the University of Auckland's Business School explaining what a science park is and does. Read the highlights here.

Lecture by Jane Davies - CEO Manchester Science Park

Jane Davies, CEO Manchester Science Park, UK delivers a public lecture on "Science Parks - Economic Catalysts for City Growth" on Tuesday 23 September 2008, 6pm to 7pm.  The venue is Regus Chancery, Plaza level, AXA Building, 41 Queen Street, Auckland.

Read more about this event here.

Innovation centre moves towards reality

The concept for a major science and technology park in an under-developed area of Auckland took a major step forward recently. The government announced in late October it would fund up to $25 million for the New Zealand Innovation Centre to be sited between Panmure and Glen Innes.

"This is a purpose-built science and technology centre, on Auckland City Council land, adjacent to the Tamaki campus of the University of Auckland," says Tamaki innovation precinct project leader Janet Schofield. "We're delighted it's moving towards reality."

The vision for the innovation centre's development is jointly held between Auckland City Council, the University of Auckland and the Ministry of Economic Development. The centre is the first building in what the partners hope will become New Zealand's premier area for innovative research-based, science and technology companies - many of which will have a relationship with the university's research programmes. A building manager will seek tenants who can benefit from the location, and already several potential tenants have expressed interest.

Construction is expected to start in 2010, and in the next six months a plan change for the site will be initiated, and the council will commence master planning for the location. A remediation plan for the site, which is 84-150 Morrin Road and a former landfill, will also be undertaken.

Tamaki precinct

Around the centre, which sits on a five hectare site allowing for more buildings to be built and leased to compatible tenants interested in science and technology, Auckland City Council is hoping an ‘innovation precinct' will spring up.

This would be a neighbourhood of businesses which also support science and technology, or themselves earn revenue from innovation. Typically, overseas, these neighbourhoods take 20 to 30 years to mature.

Because Auckland City Council sets regulatory and zoning frameworks which might encourage such a precinct to happen, it has engaged in a consultation process with local businesses to help plan the area.

Get involved

Email us with any questions or feedback on the Tamaki Innovation Precinct Plan.

Updated December 2008