Goal 7

Resilient Infrastructure

Our infrastructure supports the region's social, cultural, economic and environmental goals. Integrated planning and effective demand management means we use resources efficiently. Our infrastructure adapts to changing conditions, promotes positive social and economic outcomes and its scale and resource base protects it from failure and ensures efficient recovery from shocks and damage.

This goal is about using our resources more efficiently so that regional infrastructure protects the environment, withstands future pressures, and promotes the social and economic outcomes Aucklanders want.

This goal provides an emphasis for the future on:

  • A more integrated approach to infrastructure planning, delivery and management.
  • A focus on the use of natural systems in the design and renewal of infrastructure.
  • Implementation of demand management options.
  • Consideration of the appropriate scale and location of infrastructure to promote long-term resilience as well as efficiency.

Opportunities

Currently, too many infrastructural decisions are made without taking into account the effects on other infrastructure and on the region. Therefore, there are opportunities to:

  • Better integrate and co-ordinate regional infrastructure planning to eliminate fragmentation that will lead to more sustainable, resilient, cost effective regional networks which align with growth models.
  • Tap the potential for delivering infrastructure at different scales. For example, we may gain efficiencies by collecting water and energy at a household level.
  • Work at a community level within a regionally co-ordinated network thereby increasing cost effectiveness and creating more distributed and resilient systems.
  • Invest in major projects affecting the wider region. Recent projects such as the Northern Busway and rail upgrades demonstrate how infrastructure improvements can effectively contribute to regional sustainability by encouraging commuters to use public transport.

Challenges

The primary challenge for infrastructure planning is to examine how services, such as community facilities, and resources, such as water and energy, are best provided in the future, responding to the new challenges and drivers facing the region. Other challenges relating to Goal 7 are:

  • Providing efficient and resilient infrastructure will require significant funding - we need to make up for past under-investment at the same time as planning for the needs of future generations.
  • Many infrastructure classes are natural monopolies, and governance arrangements must be adopted to ensure that decisions regarding planning, finding and pricing for their services result in equitable and efficient outcomes.
  • We are currently vulnerable to changes in supply and price of many resources essential to our economy. To insulate our economy against future changes we will need to improve the resource efficiency and performance of our infrastructure, and better harness the resources available within the region (e.g. wind, sunshine and rain). 
  • Changes to weather patterns could affect demand on infrastructure services (for example, greater energy demand in summer to provide cooling). With climate change, more frequent extreme weather events will put pressure on critical infrastructure, especially in coastal locations.
  • The number of people demanding services from the region's infrastructure will continue to grow. As communities and lifestyles continue to diversify, demands on infrastructure - particularly social infrastructure - are likely to change. 
  • Disadvantaged communities are often also service-poor. Distance from central locations, limited access to public transport, higher energy demands in draughty and damp homes, and poorer access to information and communication technology will all have to be addressed if we want to live in a fair and equitable society.

Indicative Strategic Responses

Shift required to meet goal Strategic responses which will contribute to meeting the goal
Think in generations, not years
  • Ensure infrastructure is resilient to shocks and adaptable to future needs; e.g. by building in spare capacity, modular planning and allowing for diversity (in technologies, scale, location, etc.).
  • Ensure that infrastructure investment decisions take long-term benefits into account.
Reduce our ecological footprint
  • Increase the focus on demand management for water, energy and transport.
  • Utilise natural systems in our infrastructure design.
  • Encourage alternatives to large-scale or reticulated infrastructure, where appropriate.
Build a carbon neutral future
  • Ensure infrastructure investment facilitates a compact settlement pattern.
  • Encourage the use of renewable energy sources.
Value te Ao Māori
  • Develop and sustain marae, kainga and wäahi as the supporting infrastructure for Mana Whenua.
Put people at the centre of our thinking and actions
  • Ensure that infrastructure supports positive social outcomes; e.g. by providing a wider range of transport choices that aid accessibility to employment and essential services.
  • Provide resilient and adaptable social infrastructure (schools, libraries, halls, etc.) that meets community needs as they change over time.
Integrate thinking, planning, investment and action
  • Diversify the scale, location, and delivery of future additions to networks.
  • Integrate planning to maximise infrastructure benefits.

Supporting Documents