The East West Link project has a long history. Investigations began in 2013, and designations and resource consents were granted by a Board of Inquiry (BOI) in 2017.
The East West Link project (as proposed in 2016 when statutory approvals were sought) included a four-lane road between the Neilson Street interchange at State Highway 20 and the Mt Wellington interchange at State Highway 1. It included connections to local roads in Onehunga and Penrose, a shared use walking and cycling path, improvements for public transport and rehabilitation of foreshore, headland and wetland areas through which it passed.
The 2016 East West Link Application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is available to view here:
In April 2024, the Court determined by majority that the East West Link project should be “remitted to the Board of Inquiry for reconsideration”. It confirmed there is a consenting pathway for the East West Link project, and the BOI should reconsider that pathway in line with the majority’s guidance on assessment.
Since then, changes to legislation and policy direction have triggered a review and update of the project. NZTA has taken the time to reflect on the decision and consider how best to take the project forward.
2013 – NZTA developed a Strategic Case for the East West project area.
2014 – NZTA developed a Programme Business Case for the wider area, which identified the East West Corridor as an important component of the Auckland transport network. This work was further developed into an Indicative Business Case, and then refined in a Detailed Business Case.
2015 – During the Detailed Business Case phase, the scope of the East West Corridor included east-west connections between Onehunga and Penrose, as well as Māngere, Otahuhu and Sylvia Park. A preferred option was identified along the coastal route.
2016 – 2017 – The preferred alignment from the Detailed Business Case was subjected to design and assessment work, to support Notices of Requirement and resource consents. Applications were submitted to the Environmental Protection Authority and considered by the BOI in 2016, further refined throughout the BOI hearing, and approved in 2017.
2018 – Strategic review – The East West Link project was reviewed in 2018 in response to changes in the 2018-2021 Government Policy Statement (GPS). The review work focused on network optimisation consistent with the 2018-2021 GPS.
2018 – 2021 – The BOI decision was appealed by various parties to the High Court and then the Supreme Court between 2018 and 2021.
2024 – The Supreme Court released its decision in 2024, which anticipated the project being referred back to the BOI for reconsideration.
2025 – Investment case – The East West Link project was re-initiated in November 2024 and the investment case commenced at the start of 2025. The key drivers for this process were the release of the GPS on Land Transport 2024-2034 (GPS 2024), the reintroduction of the Roads of National Significance programme, and the National Land Transport Plan (NLTP, 2024). These guiding policies have directed a focused approach to project scopes and value for money outcomes.
