Waitakere Ranges Protection Society Commends New Council Parkland Purchase

The Waitakere Ranges Protection Society has welcomed Auckland Council’s addition of 78 hectares of stunning bush-clad land to the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park in its purchase of the “Byers block” between Piha and KareKare.

President of the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, John Edgar, says “this land is an important missing link in Waitakere Ranges Regional Parkland”. “It has high biodiversity and recreational values. It has outstanding natural features such as sea caves, blow holes and pa sites. It’s been on the Council’s park acquisition strategy for decades. It’s fantastic this key piece of land is finally in public ownership, protected forever”.

“Locals, including the Society, have had a long history in advocating for its protection – because of its natural and scenic values and contribution to ‘completing’ this coastal backdrop part of park, but also due to past proposals to develop the area into a ‘Resort – style’ hotel complex, which was totally out of keeping with the area”.

“We commend the Council for following through on the aspirations of the community and park users, for securing this area against development, and for ‘closing the gaps’ in these parklands”.

“This acquisition now completely secures a contiguous area of coastal bluffs and headlands on this part of the West Coast”. The site has important geological and natural features in its own right, and will allow extension of the Hillary trail to avoid Piha Road”.

ENDS

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