High Street Improvements Project

About the project

High Street is one of the busiest laneways in the city centre. It’s a place people come to shop, dine, commute and meet friends. It also connects into a growing network of upgraded laneways like O’Connell Street, Jean Batten Place and Freyberg Place.

In 2020, we made some improvements to make the street more welcoming and easier to get around. These updates helped shape how people use High Street today. 

Now, as we plan for more people to live, work and visit the city centre, we’re building on that foundation to plan for High Street’s future.

Funded by the city centre targeted rate, this project is part of a wider transformation happening across midtown and supports the City Centre Masterplan vision of a vibrant, connected and people-focussed city centre.

This is our chance to give High Street the care it deserves and reinforce its role in a growing, changing city centre. 

Click here to sign-up for updates.

What we heard - community aspirations

 

View a summary of the July -October 2024 engagement here.

Download the engagement report here.

Have your say by 18 August

Engagement is now open. You can view three design ideas for High Street's future and have your say by visiting akhaveyoursay.co.nz/HighStreet

Your input at this stage will help get the foundations right and help guide the next steps in the design process.

Have your say by 18 August: 

• Complete an online feedback form
  Available from 21 July at akhaveyoursay.co.nz/HighStreet
  
  
• Participate in a 45-minute conversation
  Email us at highst@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to book
  
  
• Join us at a drop-in session at the Ellen Melville Centre between 3 to 15 August. 

Drop in at the Ellen Melville Centre between:

• Sunday 3 August, 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm
• Monday 4 August, 11.30 am – 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm
• Thursday 7 August, 11.30 am – 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm
• Friday 8 August, 11.30 am – 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm
• Sunday 10 August, 12.00 pm – 4.00 pm
• Monday 11 August, 11.30 am – 2.30 pm and 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
• Thursday 14 August, 11.30 am – 2.30 pm and 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
• Friday 15 August, 4.00 pm – 7.00 pm 

You can stay updated about how to have your say by signing up here. 

Partnering with mana whenua

We’re working in partnership with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Te Ākitai Waiohua and Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua.

They have provided a matawhānui (broad vision) and four uara (values) for the project that have informed the ideation process and continue to guide the project’s approach.

You can read more at AK have your say. 

Why are we doing this?

Guided by our City Centre Masterplan (CCMP), Auckland Council is investing in transformational projects to ensure that we have a thriving city centre well into the future. Determining how High Street will look and feel in the future is one of these important transformational projects.

What's happened and what's next

July to   October 2024	We engaged with the High Street community – including businesses, residents and visitors – to understand aspirations for the street’s future.
December 2024	We shared nine community aspirations from what we heard throughout the engagement. These helped shape our ideas for High Street.
January to  June 2025	We worked with mana whenua, design partners, technical experts, asset owners and operators to explore ideas that bring the community’s aspirations to life.
July to August 2025	We’re sharing three design ideas for High Street’s future and inviting feedback from the High Street community and the wider public.
End 2025	We’ll summarise and share what we heard across the three ideas.
Early 2026	We’ll identify and recommend a preferred direction to elected members, shaped by what we hear from the community. We’ll share how the community’s feedback has influenced this decision and begin preliminary design.

Delivered by

This project is being delivered by Auckland Council and is funded by the city centre targeted rate, a special rate which is paid by city centre commercial and residential property owners and used to help fund the development and revitalisation of the city centre. The programme of works funded by the rate aims to enhance the city centre as a place to work, live, visit and do business.