Auckland city business and economy report 2008

Executive summary | Past economic performance | Relative international economic performance | Economic structure | Population | Labour market | Retail trade and tourism | Building and property | Inflation, interest rates and the exchange rate | Focus on manufacturing | Focus on Rosebank 2030 | Economic outlook | Auckland city in figures | Download the report

Focus on ... Rosebank 2030

The Auckland isthmus has a scarcity of quality industrial and manufacturing land. Auckland's population growth, combined with an increase in retailing and services, has added compounding pressure to this scarce land resource. Only four significant industrial areas - Tamaki, Mt Wellington, Rosebank, and Penrose - are left, and if Auckland city is to strengthen its high value business base, all four areas command strategic attention.

In 2006, Auckland City Council set out to plan for the future of the Rosebank business precinct. The formulation of a dedicated, long-term development plan for a business area - while common overseas -is unprecedented in New Zealand.

Rosebank is regarded as a centre of Auckland's manufacturing export businesses, with 56 per cent of all Rosebank businesses involved in the export industry. Over 8300 people work in the precinct, mostly coming from west Auckland to serve the area's 832 businesses. Twenty-one per cent of the precinct's businesses are manufacturing based and account for 50 per cent of Rosebank's employment. Business in the area takes advantage of links to the port and airport, as well as other distribution hubs.

Auckland City Council undertook a process of extensive consultation with stakeholders in the area, with the purpose of mapping out a more certain future for Rosebank. The result is Rosebank 2030, which seeks to grow existing business and attract new, high value-added businesses. The council wants to see the area strengthen as an export nucleus.

Rosebank 2030 contains a series of actions that all parties agree are important for Rosebank's future. Some of these place obligations on the council to regulate zoning to encourage high value-adding manufacturing and product development business, catalyse improved infrastructure, improve transport and so on. The council will also seek to improve the quality of the industrial environment in the area, and sees opportunities in protecting the coastal environments.

Businesses in the area have seized the opportunity to influence the future of this key strategic area.

Published August 2008