The Disruptive Mobility and The Potential for Land Reclamation: the case of Auckland’s CBD and other Metropolitan Centres

Authors: Mohsen Mohammadzadeh

Abstract

This working paper investigates the potential for land reclamation based on the deployment of disruptive mobility in Auckland’s CBD and in ten other metropolitan areas. This investigation is developed based on the following primary assumptions: the shared electric autonomous vehicles (SEAVs) will be the dominant transport system in the near future; the transition from the existing pervasive car ownership transport system to SEAVs (disruptive mobility) will potentially reduce the demands for car parking, and the existing open and covered car parking can be reclaimed. The land reclamation will provide a great opportunity for planners, urban designers, and other decision makers to reuse the reclaimed lands for their required urban needs, such as public space, commercial, and also residential buildings.

The Central Business Districts of cities and metropolitan centres attract a large number of people for different purposes, including, but not limited to, working, education, entertainment and shopping. Based on the current car-oriented land-use planning practice, the provision of car parking is perceived as one of the most important principles in allocating land for different land use activities. A large amount of land in the CBDs and metropolitan centres has been allocated for open air and covered parking. As the business hubs, the land in the CBDs and metropolitan is a scarce resource, and its value is relatively higher than in the surrounding residential neighbourhoods. Disruptive mobility will potentially assist in reclaiming these valuable lands by providing an alternative mobility option for the residents. By using ArcGIS, this working paper investigates the potential for land reclamation in Auckland’s CBD and its ten metropolitan centres. The GIS maps are used to illustrate the existing capacities in the eleven areas. Based on secondary resources such as Auckland Council’s data set, the report shows the financial benefits that can be achieved through the land reclamation. The reclaimed land can be used to address existing urban issues, such as public space, business activities and high dense housing. This working paper argues that land reclamation can be used to reinforce Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) to attain sustainable transportation.