The Auckland Waterfront Consortium has launched an ambitious proposal that would see a 50,000-seat fully enclosed stadium built alongside a redeveloped Bledisloe Wharf.

OPINION: Travelling around New Zealand every week has to be one of the best parts of my job. Each week, when I'm on tour or shooting for Jono and Ben I think "this has to be the best drive in the world". Then the next week I do a trip that somehow tops it.

Blenheim to Kaikoura, Greymouth to Westport, Hamilton to New Plymouth. These have to be some of the most beautiful drives in the world. Sorry for doing that American thing of claiming everything is the "best in the world" while having little or no understanding of what other options exist in the world.

Most of my favourite New Zealand drives are so coastal that if you built them any closer to the sea you'd need a boat to drive them. But this strength is also a weakness, I'm gonna come out and say it: some of our greatest beaches and nicest spots would probably be better off without a busy road running through them.

123rf.com Why do we constantly build roads between the shops and the beach?

Mission Bay, Kaiteriteri, Mt Maunganui … why do we constantly build roads between the shops and the beach? To officially differentiate between togs and undies? That was a joke (of low quality) but also a genuine question. Why, in the places we should be exploiting with parks, boardwalks and cafes, have we built roads?

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Don't get me wrong, this isn't a problem exclusive to New Zealand, and it's something that's easily fixed. We could always move the roads! You may say I'm a dreamer … but I'm not the only one.

Maybe I am the only one, I don't know, maybe people like roads on beaches? My point is the more I travel the country the more I notice missed opportunities to take advantage of our beautiful coastline.

Braden Fastier I’m gonna come out and say it: some of our greatest beaches and nicest spots would probably be better without a busy road.

My favourite example is New Plymouth. When I think of Taranaki I think of the mountain, the rugby team and a cow. I don't think of one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I think that's because they haven't quite taken advantage of their unbelievable location.

On the day New Plymouth had their town planning meeting and asked: "What should we do with our multi-million dollar coastline?"

They decided on a railway line, a four-lane highway, a multi-story carpark, a city centre mall (conveniently titled "The Centre City Mall") with no windows and a Bunnings warehouse (also with no windows).

Adrian Malloch A mall holds pride of place on New Plymouth's waterfront.

New Plymouth has done a lot to improve their waterfront, but putting large buildings and difficult to cross roads near our coastlines seems to be a tradition more Kiwi than throwing stuff at politicians on Waitangi Day.

Wellington, one of our most famous waterfronts, is not much better. They built their huge windowless sports stadium on their waterfront. Three times! They're all named after banks: TSB Arena, Westpac Stadium and the new ASB Sports stadium are three fantastic facilities that have frustratingly been built across what could be a beautiful vista.

STUFF Wellington built a huge, windowless sports stadium on their waterfront.

Dunedin has done the same thing, my hometown of Nelson covered it's waterfront with a port, a road, and at one point an actual rubbish dump. Now, in 2018, after all these squandered opportunities Auckland is looking to make the same mistake all over again.

Don't get me wrong I'm 100 per cent in favour of a centrally located rugby/concert venue just please please don't build it across our beautiful waterfront.

JOHN BISSET/STUFF A picture of Dunedin: "Waterfronts are for looking out, not looking in, that might be the smartest thing I have ever said."

Waterfronts are for looking out, not looking in (that might be the smartest thing I have ever said). They're for recreation, everyday living and novelty public art that everyone hates. Not for huge, windowless eyesores that are going to be occupied for, at best, 50 days a year.

And no doubt it's very hard to find a location in central Auckland big enough for a stadium but let's not ruin this great opportunity with an eyesore.

* Guy's national tour comes to Wellington and Canterbury this month, full dates and details at guywilliams.co.nz.