Executive summary – extract

Understanding Aucklanders’ changing preferences

This research explored how Aucklanders’ expectations, preferences and patterns of participation in community services and facilities are changing, and what these changes may mean for future planning and provision.

The project combined multiple sources of insight, including:

• Auckland population survey
• Community walkalongs
• World Cafes with community participants
• Service provider survey
• Key informant interviews

Together, these stages explored:

• how people currently use community services and facilities
• barriers and drivers of participation
• changing expectations around access, location, delivery and inclusion
• implications for future planning and investment.

The findings are intended to support longer-term thinking about how Auckland’s community services and facilities can remain relevant, accessible and responsive to changing community needs.

Auckland Council, GravitasOPG, April 2026