Hundreds of Takapuna residents are preparing to challenge Auckland Council’s plan to turn one of the city’s busiest golf courses into a stormwater reservoir, citing a lack of consultation, environmental concerns and the loss of irreplaceable green space.

The group, which includes Takapuna and Hillcrest locals and technical experts from across the North Shore, has announced a public meeting this month in a bid to halt the proposed redevelopment of the Takapuna Golf Course into what they describe as “a fenced-off concrete basin disguised as a wetland.”

Local residents group spokesperson Emma Hulse says the proposed removal of the century-old golf course caught many locals by surprise.

“Most of us only found out about this through a newspaper article; there was no formal notice or meaningful engagement from the council. When we attended the initial community meeting, there was no flood modelling, no water flow planning, and no clear answers, just vague promises and a concept sketch of troughs filled with water. Residents walked away confused and very concerned.”

Hulse, who formed a local community group in response, says many families are alarmed not only by the scale of the proposed works but also by the rapid timeline, with excavation suggested to begin as early as October this year.

“There’s a real sense that this is being pushed through without transparency. Residents were told this wouldn’t happen until 2027, but the Council’s own documents obtained through an Official Information Request mention digging starting later this year. That’s deeply concerning,” she says.

The Takapuna Golf Course and driving range is NZ’s most visited public course, drawing over 220,000 visits annually and serving as a key entry-level facility for golfers of all ages and backgrounds. Locals say the space is also used daily for walking, birdwatching, and recreation by non-golfers, particularly as urban intensification in the area reduces access to open space.

“It’s not just about golf, it's about community. I walk the course most evenings. It’s full of young families, retirees and teens on the driving range. It’s green, it’s accessible, and it’s safe.

“We’re not opposed to better flood protection, this is necessary, but there are smarter, proven alternatives that don’t destroy one of the last major green spaces in our area.”

The community group has aligned itself with the golf course’s operators, who have presented an alternative design integrating stormwater detention within the current fairways preserving both the flood protection function and the recreational use.

Hulse says the alternative model created by an international golf course architect offers a commercially viable lease arrangement that would save the council millions in maintenance costs.

“From my understanding, the Council’s plan would see the proposed wetlands left without ongoing upkeep and we have asked who will manage this waterlogged site?”

Residents also raised concerns about public safety, pests, and water quality issues if wetlands are left unmanaged including mosquitoes, rats, and rubbish build-up.

“The public meeting will be held at Takapuna Golf Course on May 7, at 7 pm, with more than 200 expected to attend.

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