Eden Park Residents Association, Eden Park Neighbours

The vision for a 60,000 seat Eden Park was released today as part of the resource consent application to prepare the stadium for the 2011 rugby and 2015 cricket world cups.

The main features include boosting the capacity from 47,500 to 60,000, a `front door' entrance off Sandringham Rd, a transport hub with a pedestrian bridge to Kingsland and a community green and sports practice area.

As well as resource consents to redevelop the stadium, the board wants permission to host an extra 11 night games during the rugby world cup and 10 during the cricket world cup.

They are also waiting for the results of a hearing on an application to boost the number of regular night games to 23 each season.

Eden Park chief executive John Alexander was unavailable for comment before the Central Leader went to press.

In a newsletter to residents he says extensive consultation with community groups helped shape the application to Auckland City Council.

"The feedback has been constructive and positive with some outstanding ideas coming forth, a number of which we have been able to incorporate into the design," he says.

But neighbourhood groups say the board was vague, especially when it came to explaining how new stands would restrict light to their homes.

Eden Park Residents Association chairman Jose Fowler says he's among 40 residents to get letters advising their properties could be put in the shade by bigger south and east stands.

"During the consultation process there was a certain amount of vagueness and lack of communication that made it difficult to make opinions," he says.

Eden Park Neighbours Association chairman Mark Donnelly says his members share the same concerns about shading.

The Central Leader has been inundated with letters from ratepayers who fear they will be forced to bear the lion's share of the estimated $320 million cost.

AdvertisementAdvertisementSo far only $54m has been committed to the upgrade, with the government promising $20m and the New Zealand Rugby Union $10m.

The city council's 10-year plan earmarks up to $100m for international facilities, including Eden Park.

Eden Park's newsletter makes no mention of funding.

"The cost is unrelated to the resource consent and at this stage it's more about notifying the neighbours of what's happening," trust board communications manager Hamish McDougall says.

Copies of the resource consent application can be viewed at Eden Park's ASB Stand reception, the Mt Albert and central city libraries, Auckland City Council's office at 35 Graham St, and www.aucklandcity.govt.nz//edenpark.

The council will accept public submissions from August 14 to September 8.

A hearing is scheduled on November 15, with a decision expected in late December.