Locals launch Petition over fate of historic Bomb Point
Locals launch Petition over fate of historic Bomb Point
Newshub and TV3 News covered this event this morning.
With just a day’s notice, near 100
Hobsonville Point locals turned up for an impromptu protest
and launch of a second ‘Save Bomb Point’ petition. The
first petition was in 2016 which gained near 700 signatures.
This second petition's requests is ‘that the House of
Representatives set aside 11.2 ha of Bomb Point land as
reserve, to be managed by Auckland Council’.
At the rally speeches were made by Bomb Point Action Committee (BPAC) chair Grant Dixon, Upper Harbour Local Board member Nicholas Mayne, Hobsonville Point Residents Society chair Errol Haarhoff and Auckland Councillor John Watson. All spoke in favour of the whole park being retained as reserve and expressed frustration as to how long it is taking to occur.
Locals from Hobsonville Point and neighbouring areas are appealing for help over a stalemate in negotiations about the future of Auckland’s historical Bomb Point.
Bomb Point is a large piece of coastal
land used recreationally by people from all over Auckland.
It has historic significance as a former munitions storage
site for the New Zealand Air Force and includes numerous
historic buildings.
Concern centres on the rezoning
of the land as residential during the Unitary Plan process.
Bomb Point owner, Housing Land Communities (HLC) which is
part of Housing New Zealand, originally promised that the
land would not be built on. In the 2015 Unity Plan review,
HLC got the land rezoned as residential which significantly
increased its value. HLC wants the Council to buy the land
for a public reserve but the Council has said the new value
puts it beyond the parks and reserve budget. Residents are
concerned that a stalemate over the land’s price is
stalling the resolution of its status and future.
“If Auckland Council walks away from the prospect
of adding Bomb Point to its line-up of reserve land, it is
vulnerable to possible development,” says local resident
and chair of BPAC Grant Dixon. “HLC has said it has no
intention of developing the land but there is no guarantee
and it could have a change of leadership or
heart.”
Dixon says the government has made special
contributions to purchases of land before. Examples are
Awaroa Bay in 2016 and the Clent Hills Station in 2004 and
could do so again. “I’d argue this is even more
important, as this purchase will benefit a huge local
population that will grow to the size of Gisborne
City.”
The Bomb Point Action Committee has now
launched a paper version of the petition. An electronic
version will be online soon at
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/petitions
Timeline:
2003
- Bomb Point land transferred from NZ Air Force to Housing
NZ ownership as part of a 30.5ha $22 million parcel. At time
of transfer Bomb Point land valuation was $8 million
2006
- HLC established to develop Hobsonville Point for
housing
2008 - Waitakere City Council resolved: "Bomb
Point should become a major destination park" and requested
Auckland Regional Council to secure the land
2010 - The
'Super City' Auckland Council was formed
2015 - As part
of the Unity Plan review HLC succeeds in having Bomb Point
rezoned from 'Open Public Space' to 'Mixed Housing
Suburban’
2016 - First 'Save Bomb Point' petition
gained 669 signatures and was sent to the Minister of
Housing
2017 - Bomb Point land given a Council Capital
Valuation of $50 million
2018 - Auckland Council and HLC
negotiations stall after Council offer is rejected by
HLC.