Auckland Council's plan for the city centre, including public transport, waterfront changes for the America's Cup, and green spaces.

Ratepayers would have to fund a proposed new long-distance bus terminal which an Auckland Council agency is proposing be built on land owned by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

Auckland Transport's plans have already angered the iwi, which knew nothing of years of prior planning for a terminal and opposes it.

It would replace the privately-built and run facility which SkyCity wants to dump.

Concept plans show up to eight bus stops in each of three options in front of the city's former railway station on Beach Rd.

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The agency envisages it being built by the end of this year, with an expanded terminal for up to 12 bus stops developed from next year.

Supplied/Auckland Transport One option for a long-distance bus terminal on Ngāti Whātua land in front of Auckland's former railway station.

Nearly six years of work has been done since casino and hotel operator SkyCity told the council it may try to get rid of the terminal included in its downtown complex – which is a requirement of its resource consent.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa said it learned of the plan only in January, three years after Auckland Transport had been asked to study downtown options.

"We have a clear plan for the long-term use of our land at Quay Park – a bus terminal is not aligned with that plan," Andrew Crocker, the chief executive of the iwi's commercial arm, said.

DAVID WHITE/STUFF Auckland's long-distance bus terminal inside the SkyCity complex on Hobson St.

"We challenge Auckland Council and Auckland Transport to revisit the current site and options for improving it for the long term."

Material obtained by Stuff shows Auckland Transport in 2015 settled on its proposed bus/train station at central Manukau as the best option to terminate long-distance buses in and out of Auckland.

However, this fell through after opposition from the bus companies.

It had started with a list of 30 potential sites, whittled down to seven, and in late 2017 focussed on the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei-owned land.

"Relocating the bus terminal to Beach Rd should also bring an economic benefit to some of the surrounding businesses such as hotels, car rental facilities and convenience shops and will allow the upgrade of what is currently a disorganised space," an Auckland Transport summary in early 2018 said.

However, a 2013 assessment of potential CBD sites by a consultant said the best option would have been a new facility inside the proposed International Convention Centre, which is now being built for SkyCity.

Supplied/Auckland Transport Aerial view of the Beach Rd site owned by Ngāti Whātua, where Auckland Transport envisages a long-distance bus terminal.

Beach Rd was the second choice, even though the assessment found "this site is some distance from the city centre and thus is not as attractive for pedestrian access from the CBD centroid as some other sites".

However, SkyCity said it was not part of the current discussions.

"SkyCity has investigated the implications for its resource consent if the terminal was relocated," it said in a statement.

Supplied/Auckland Transport One possible element of a long-distance bus terminal proposed in front of Auckland's former railway station on Ngati Whatua land.

Auckland Council has confirmed it had a "pre-application" meeting with the company.