Families on Auckland's North Shore have been told their homes will be demolished to make way for a cycle ramp off the proposed pathway over the Harbour Bridge.

On day two of the nationwide lockdown, residents of Princes St on Northcote Point said the New Zealand Transport Agency foisted a last-minute design change on them, which meant the Crown would now need to acquire their homes.

"There was not a single word about consultation of this new plan, and it was presented to us as a fait-accompli," homeowner Carol Brown told Stuff.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF While in lockdown, seven families were told their homes could be compulsorily acquired by the Crown.

"This, frankly, is bullying behaviour, particularly at this time [when a worldwide pandemic threatens financial security]."

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In response, NZTA senior manager Andrew Thackwray confirmed it had made significant changes to the overall design in a relatively short time: "As the project develops, we have more technical information and have responded to feedback."

The walking and cycling link over the Auckland Harbour Bridge, formally known as SkyPath, is set to provide a continuous path at the same level as vehicles. It will eventually connect out to Albany.

The agency said it told Princes St residents in February that the design could change and building of the shared path infrastructure would likely affect more properties.

Carol, 68, and Rod Brown, 71, have lived in their home for over three decades; it was built in the 1880s, and a centenarian recently told the couple she remembers climbing a pepper tree which still stands in their back garden.

SUPPLIED Some of the homes to be demolished were built in the 1880s. The Browns have many photos of the home used by Kiwis in the 19th century.

Until last week, the Browns, and the rest of Princes St, believed NZTA would only demolish one home because it was directly affected by the shared path.

However, the new plan, presented to the street via a phone conference during lockdown, includes an off-ramp which begins at 9 Princes St.

"This is not a major terminal ramp, but just another point in Northcote Point to enter and exit the pathway, and it now goes right through all of our homes," Brown said.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Some of the homes set to be demolished were built in the 1880s.

"This ramp design is likely to end up costing well more than $20 million, and it kicks us all out of our beloved homes, whereas some vastly simpler ramp options would cost a few hundred thousand dollars."

Thackwray said the unfortunate timing of Covid-19 restrictions meant face-to-face meetings could not go ahead as planned.

He added the ramp costs were not currently available but said the full cost of the project remains at $360m.

NZTA The route of the pathway is now set and the preferred designs for the connections at Westhaven, Princes St, Sulphur Beach Rd, Stafford Rd and Onewa Rd have been updated.

Four of the seven properties affected by the new design are villas which date back to the late 19th century; previous occupiers lived through the bridge's construction in 1959 and its widening 10 years later.

Brown and her neighbours had a raft of questions during the phone conference, but the officials could not provide any answers.

"When you are coming to tell someone you're taking their property you'd think you would be well-armed about why this is the best choice," she said.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Under the bridge: Homeowners were told their homes would be demolished because of a last-minute design change.

Thackwray told Stuff the houses were required to make the slope of the on/off ramp at Princes St more gradual and safer.

"The Northern Pathway meets the Government's priority to create more active transport choices for Aucklanders and deliver critical missing links in the urban cycle network between the city centre and North Shore."

On Wednesday, NZTA announced it would not conduct public engagement meetings about the new design because of the coronavirus lockdown, instead it asked people to give their feedback via an online survey or by email.

Public engagement will run from 30 March until 19 April. Subject to approvals, construction is expected to begin in early 2021 and take about two and a half years.