Auckland Regional Council is appealing Auckland City Council’s independent commissioners’ decision to allow a 13 storey hotel to be built at its 114 Quay St site.

Downtown Auckland Britomart developer Cooper & Co won approval from independent commissioners for resource consent to build a high rise hotel at the site where its 1970s Seafarers building now stands.

This would involve increasing the height limit in the area from its existing 24 metre maximum up to 55 metres.

The government and Auckland Regional Council are going halves in the $40 million purchase of Queens Wharf from Ports of Auckland.

The deal, announced this afternoon, will see the port vacate the wharf by April 1 next year.

It will be developed as a public venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and will also house an international standard cruise ship terminal, which Ports of Auckland will operate.

Auckland Regional Council is in the midst of a disagreement with the owner of its headquarters, Kiwi Income Property Trust over rent.

The listed property trust has told the council that its rent is about to be hiked and the regional body isn’t happy.

While Kiwi Income Property Trust gave the council advanced warning of the upcoming rent review, the two parties have yet to agree on an adjusted rent amount.

The property, located at 21 Pitt St, is the former headquarters of Vodafone. Beca also rents office space in the complex.

Auckland Regional Council is tightening the screws on its funding arm Auckland Regional Holdings and Ports of Auckland as it grapples with the half-billion dollar hole in ARH’s accounts.

The council relies on funding from ARH to fund transport and stormwater projects.

But according to ARH’s latest draft 2009-19 Long Term Funding Plan, its income will drop by $591.8 million over the next decade.