Important milestone reached for Eden Park

The redevelopment of Eden Park has passed its final resource consent hurdle without appeal, Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully said today.

"Consents for the final stage of the development were issued on 21 April, and I have now had confirmation that the period allowed for appeals has passed without any appeal being lodged," Mr McCully said.

"This is an outstanding result made possible by good cooperation among a range of parties.

"The redevelopment of Eden Park is a critical part of preparations to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The project is on time and on budget, and the awarding of these final consents means the remaining work can begin on schedule.

"The consents cover construction of a new Western Concourse connecting the grandstands with a new plaza, and temporary facilities (such as temporary seating) needed for the Rugby World Cup.

"I would like to acknowledge the hard work and constructive approach of a number of parties in reaching this stage, including the Eden Park Neighbours Association, Mayor John Banks and the Auckland City Council, and the Eden Park Redevelopment Board," Mr McCully said.