A major hurdle for America's Cup base plans in Auckland.

Submissions on the Panuku Development proposals close today, and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei has strongly objected.

Spokesperson Ngarimu Blair says the iwi believes the Waitemata Harbour is a taonga and that further intrusions into it are unnecessary.

He says extensive reclamations have degraded the value of the harbour, and further intrusions are unnecessary.

The iwi claims it was not told about two proposed 110 metre concrete structures on Wynyard Wharf. ⁧

This came the same day that Team New Zealand gave their tentative approval to the plans, while still saying serious kinks needed to be ironed out.

Team boss Grant Dalton said today: "The Government came to us with a further plan last week. It's a further iteration of the minister's plan known as the 'Hybrid option' but is closer to the one designed by Viaduct Harbour Holdings.

"On the face of it and to the layman's eye it looks like it could work.

"In the limited time we have had to look into the detail we see that there are some problems that need to be addressed."

The latest plan reduces the extension of Halsey St Wharf from 75 metres to 45m.

"But with the reduction of the extension of Halsey wharf, this means the majority of the challenger bases must go on to on Wynyard Wharf," Dalton said.

The Herald understands from sources that the latest plan was agreed to between Economic Development Minister David Parker and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff at the weekend.

It involves moving the Team New Zealand base from a 75m extension on Hobson Wharf to Halsey Wharf. Most of the other syndicate bases will be based on Wynyard Point.

The plan is a combination of a 'hybrid' option earlier agreed between Parker and Goff and a late option put forward by Viaduct Harbour Holdings, a private company which owns about 20ha at Wynyard Quarter and the Viaduct Harbour.

- additional reporting, NZ Herald