The first settlement on the North Shore, Devonport is a popular tourist and heritage haven just a short ferry ride from Auckland’s CBD. Mt Victoria lies above the centre offering views of the pattern of heritage housing and town centre development. HMNZS Philomel naval base is next to the centre and influences Devonport’s development along with the management of industrial and military activities and their impacts on high amenity housing.

Smales Farm is a unique example of a technology office park built with future proofing in mind. The Smales family farm was reduced in size over the years by development including a motorway, a school, road widening and a golf course. This entrepreneurial North Shore family’s philosophy was to create a technology orientated commercial community and they have focused on "Smart" buildings with the ongoing maintenance and ownership being retained by them to ensure the success of one of New Zealand’s leading technology office parks.

From the beginning, 1985, the intent for Gulf Harbour (an area of 350 hectares) was to embrace good urban design through comprehensive planning. Gulf Harbour has a unique landform comprising a variety of housing styles set within large tracts of open space (golf courses) and pockets of marine activity.

The Northern Busway forms the ‘central spine’ of North Shore city’s planned Bus Rapid Transit System. The Busway and the stations that are progressively being built will provide the infrastructure to allow the re-design of bus services, routes and travel choices. These changes will improve passenger transport services in the city and reduce travel times between major destinations during peak travel times.

Browns Bay is a seaside village located on the picturesque eastern coastline of the City. The unbeatable quality of life is expressed in the value of coastal residential properties, the growth of mixed use resort living alongside the café culture and boutique retail. This suburban centre is threatened by the new sub-regional centre at Albany and it is choosing to thrive by building on its recreational and beachfront qualities.

Albany was the site of a small village on the edge of the City and is now marked as the next sub-regional centre of the North Shore. It is a prime example of the challenges of planning and control of development on a major new urban and residential mixed use area. Albany will be a major retail centre and the significant challenge is the response to urban design dreams against the realities of physical expression and design.

The e-centre (Enterprise Centre) is New Zealand’s first entrepreneurial community based on innovation and commercialising research and development, which is linked to a university. This unique partnership is between Massey University, North Shore City Council and the Tindall Foundation. This has resulted in a centre that acts as an incubator between the university and industry and has resulted in significant economic spin-offs for the city.

Set to be the largest business park in Australasia, the Highbrook Business Park is a 193 hectare site that will be home to some of New Zealand’s most successful businesses including BMW and New Zealand Post. It is expected that Highbrook will create up to 12,000 jobs over the next ten years.

Covering 1700 hectares, Flat Bush is New Zealand's largest planned development and by 2020 will be home to 15,000 homes and more than 40,000 people. It will include a new town centre, a 94 hectare park, and up to seven new schools. Development of Flat Bush is already well underway, with approximately 2000 houses built. Delegates will pass through the wider Flat Bush area, stopping at the recently opened Wetlands Playground which forms part of the new park and provides an elevated view of the town centre site.

The Manurewa Town Centre is the focal point for one of five growth centres in Manukau. Featuring a traditional strip retail centre surrounded by low density residential development, Manurewa is one of the most established parts of the city. Closely located next to the North Island main trunk rail line, a recent addition to the area is the transport interchange which features a new train station, bus stops and park ‘n’ ride spaces all on one site.

One of Manukau’s eight business improvement districts, the Mangere Bridge Town Centre is a hive of activity with a committed and enthusiastic business association that was the recipient of the inaugural Manukau Business Association of the Year award in late 2006.

The Mangere Town centre is one of the city’s largest town centres and is a business improvement district. The town centre is one of five areas identified as a future growth centre suitable for more intense growth, development and urban renewal, due to it’s proximity to transport and roading networks.

Field Trip 3. Waitakere City