In partnership with Auckland Regional Council, Auckland University, Birkdale Intermediate School, Maunsell Ltd and Stevensons Ltd, we are trialling permeable paving as an alternative road surface.

The environmentally-friendly road surface uses a series of filtering layers beneath it to clean rain water runoff, before the filtered water enters the stormwater system and flows out to sea.

We have constructed a 30m section of Birkdale Road, outside Birkdale Intermediate using the permeable road surface and will monitor its durability and water quality to determine whether it could be used in other locations throughout North Shore City.

Above: North Shore City’s project engineer Johan Swanepoel, and asset management engineer, Bill Strickland test the new surface.