Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve Under Threat Again
Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve Under Threat Again
In a
crushing blow, just fifteen days after Community groups
wildly celebrated a landmark Environment Court decision the
Developer has appealed to the High Court to try to force
development through in Okura.
The land under attack again is the 130 hectare rural block outside Auckland's northern city limits owned by Okura Holdings Limited (OHL), a subsidiary of Todd Development Limited. It’s located in an exceptional area alongside the stunning Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve, across from the Okura Bush Reserve containing rare coastal forest, and adjoins the Long Bay Regional Park enjoyed by over a million visitors per annum.
Long Bay Okura Great Park Society Society’s Convenor Pat Baskett declares “In OHL’s relentless drive for profit they are intending to willfully destroy an area of immense beauty and the wildlife that lives there.”
“It’s sacrilege that Okura Land Holdings has yet again decided to disregard the special values of the Long Bay Okura Marine Reserve and its surrounds. This is an area that is precious to the people of Auckland and yet OHL disrespect this.”
This is the second time OHL have challenged rulings made over the land.
In the Unitary Plan process, the Auckland Council’s Planning Committee decided that the development couldn’t proceed, choosing to keep the land outside the Rural Urban Boundary.
OHL appealed that decision to the Environment Court, with the result that on the 6 June the Court ruled in favour of the Auckland Council’s decision. This ruling acknowledged that intensive development would have a detrimental impact on the area’s high environmental and landscape values.
Now, OHL have appealed the Environment Court’s ruling to the High Court on points of law, putting the Marine Reserve in jeopardy once again.
The Society is confident that the Council’s and Environment Court’s decisions will stand and the wildlife and ecology of this special place will be protected.
ENDS