Development Contributions and Public-Private Partnership Opportunities for Stormwater in the Auckland Region

The paper explores the implementation of stormwater infrastructure through public - private partnerships, and alignment with the recent changes to the Local Government Act.

In August 2014, the Local Government Act Amendment No 3 was adopted and many of the changes have affected Development Contributions (DC).

This prompted a review of council’s DC policy with the aim to:  Address the framework relating to the objection processes

• Extend planning for infrastructure implementation beyond the ten year horizon of the Long Term Plan
• Enhance programming and budgeting strategy for projects funded through DC’s
• Target implementation of capital works with an increased emphasis on publicprivate partnerships as a delivery mechanism

It is considered that a development which creates a demand for new (or existing) stormwater infrastructure should contribute in a fair and equitable manner towards implementation of stormwater infrastructure within both its own hydrological catchment as well as regional programs. The funds generated through DC shall be used effectively, when and where they are needed for growth.

Stormwater infrastructure for growth is delivered using the following approaches:

• Capital projects that are designed and managed by Auckland Council (which is not the subject of this paper)
• Public-private partnerships, comprising various types of agreement depending on the scale and nature of project
• Strategic land acquisitions for water quality and flood management works

The paper highlights the need for an integrated approach with other service providers including Parks, Auckland Transport, and Watercare and describes how Auckland Council (AC) utilises public-private partnerships to unlock growth in Auckland to ensure efficient delivery of stormwater infrastructure.