Update 30/7/18
Update re submissions. There was a lot of mis-information around submission numbers and support / opposition. Having now gone through submissions and removed the out of area ones (even as far as Wanaka!) we see that the majority of local submissions opposed the concert proposal.
Eden Park Trust have indicated they will withdraw their concert application.
Once again it’s worth looking at the whole process/project:

  • Sir Avery chose the day/date for his charity concert and chose a venue where concerts aren’t permitted
  • Eden Park has no noise limits worked out in the Unitary Plan for concerts
  • Eden Park has tried and failed to get concerts multiple times
  • Eden Park put in an application without a noise limit
  • Eden Park applied to work all through the concert night/next day on dismantling
  • Eden Park provided no details on pack in/pack out noise
  • Eden Park used noise models lower than Forsyth Barr

Mt Smart has 39 corporate boxes, and a lounge for almost 1000. It also has numerous other areas
eg athletic track and fields for other activities.
The image below is an overlay of the closest streets around Eden Park, measured from front/centre of a stage.

Overlay of the closest streets around Eden Park, measured from front/centre of a stage
Within 1 Km of Mt Smart – only 93 houses
Within 1Km of Eden Park – 4000 dwellings


Update 24 July 2018
There have been a number of incorrect media statements recently.
It’s worth returning to the big picture.

  • Sir Avery chose the day/date for his charity concert and chose a venue where concerts aren’t permitted
  • Eden Park has no noise limits worked out in the Unitary Plan for concerts
  • Eden Park has tried and failed to get concerts multiple times
  • Eden Park put in an application without a noise limit
  • Eden Park applied to work all through the concert night/next day on dismantling
  • Eden Park provided no details on pack in/pack out noise
  • Eden Park used noise models lower than Forsyth Barr

Over the last few months there has also been a stream of assertions that Eden Park use to underpin the need for concerts.
A half Billion $ asset. – costs/revaluations to date are $ 268m – that’s the value invested to date by rugby and cricket and the government. They have a $442m insured replacement but that’s irrelevant.
Can’t repay debts
In the last 3 years they have repaid loans of almost $3m (Loans: $52.3m in 2015, down to $49.5m as at Oct 2017). And they still have $2.3m in term investments. Most of these loans were due to extra things the Trust wanted from the RWC redevelopment eg new East stand, above that funded by the government.
They made a $4m profit last year before depreciation.
They also took $640,000 out of the wider charity fund pool for other charites via Pokie fund applications granted last year.
Eden Park always makes a profit pre Depreciation.
While they choose to depreciate buildings faster than other stadiums, it is just an accounting entry. The previous depreciation for the old South stand wasn’t expected to fund a brand new replacement, and government funding was used instead. This will be the case for any future replacements. Therefore on a pre depreciation basis the Trust is profitable, and as above is repaying debts.
Under-utilized
Apart from major sporting events, they undertake numerous other sporting events eg No 2/training facilities etc.
They also hold 1000 functions a year, many of which a large school balls, corporate functions. And of course full daily use as offices. It is an intensively used site, and therefore had appropriate planning rules.
Will be state housing
This scare tactic was used in the “push” survey.
Factually, there is no existing proposed CBD alternative that would see Eden Park closed. And that if the region and sports codes backed a CBD option, it won’t be for another 10-15 years. Regardless of concerts. In fact if Eden Park get concerts it will reduce Council revenue, and increase our rates.

BUT – there would need to be a proper plan change done to the Unitary Plan for new uses. This would be open to submissions, appeals etc. With a large site like this, it would get a proper coordinated plan.
At any rate as a local community, we would have a say via a Unitary Plan change.

These assertions have taken hold with some people, so worth the actual facts above.

Update July 2018
Eden Park starts concerts push with a NO NOISE LIMIT application!
Read more in the July 2018 newsletter here.
Put your submission in this week  – follow link below – click make a submission.
Link below has full application – also see submission points below.
https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/have-your-say/have-your-say-notified-resource-consent/notified-resource-consent-applications-open-submissions/Pages/ResourceConsentApplication.aspx?itemId=213&applNum=LUC60321018
Submissions close 5pm 12 July.

Update: some people were unaware this isn’t just a one-off, but part of full concert push -these links show EP’s intention, prior to meeting Sir Avery, and Council view after moving speedway (allow more concerts at Eden Park):
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12005213
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12066450

Eden Park want to be “concert central”. This could mean 6 concerts or more a year. To start this they have applied for a “charity” themed concert.
The application highlights their continued belief that they should have no constraints, by having no noise limit.
By applying without a noise limit, they appear to want to ignore the residential constraints and to run an event at whatever set up and noise level they want – regardless of impacts on the neighbourhood.

  • This time is worse with no proposed noise limit
  • Noise model not for full concert setup/configuration and levels
  • No crowd noise modelled
  • 7-8 days of setup – including a full 24hr /overnight and multiple functions
  • Very late finish
  • NO mitigation
  • If charity event doesn’t happen – can keep and vary consent to a later concert
  • Concerts are loud! 964m from Mt Smart, they record 50% more than now at  
       Walters/Cricket roads
  • No one moved here to be next to concerts
  • There is no doubt that, for most people, concerts at Eden Park will make our
       neighbourhood a less attractive area to move in to.

Eden Park have applied before – declined by Independent Commissioners and Environment Court Judge. As part of the increase in night games from 16 to 25, they withdrew concerts and assured Council, the Environment Court and ourselves they would concentrate on sport and not concerts. Previous applications at least had a noise level limit proposed – albeit at a level deemed unacceptable – this one does not.
While linked to a charity, the event itself looks fully commercial, and it doesn’t detail charity funding sources. Given the charity hasn’t confirmed/signed the artist, telethon parts etc, there is a very real chance that if the event doesn’t go ahead after gaining consent, Eden Park Trust could keep and vary the consent (likely non-notified) to a later concert of their choosing. So relying on the “charity” element as justification, comes with risks.

  • Noise Details:
  • Noise levels are complex – a 10 dBA increase is a doubling (100% increase) in noise levels.
  • Application understates noise levels. Only uses 2 speaker arrays, with wrong location and height
  • Should have used 4-6 speaker arrays / some angled towards houses, height near the top of Terraces and base speakers across front of the stage.
  •  And relay tower speakers hung from cranes part way down ground, and possibly additional
  • Submission
  • You and your family’s details / ages etc / work and school commitments the next day
  • Impacts you get from full capacity events now – eg traffic, parking, crowds, disruption
       etc how this will affect you for this concert.
  • Likely concert noise effects on you – distance from ground, level you expect and
       how that will impct on you nd your family
  • If you’re close to the ground, the 7-8 days of construction, all the truck movements
  • Detail the impacts from the later finish time for the concert.
  • Raise any areas where the application is deficient in details eg Telethon, noise of
       stage build, proper area wide noise analysis
  • Also explain the cumulative impact of the concert, the 7-8 days of build/removal,
       sound testing, checks and all the normal day to day events in Feb/March.

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