NRC ruffles feathers with wharf opposition

 

JULIA WADE

Resource consent hearings for one of the areas current ambitious projects, rebuilding a replica of Mangawhai’s historic 19th century wharf, got underway recently, with arguments for and against the wharf presented before two independent commissioners.

Held at Mangawhai Club from September 21, the hearing was attended by Mangawhai Historical Wharf Trust, New Zealand Fairy Tern Charitable Trust, Forest & Bird, Department of Conservation (DOC), Northland Regional Council planning staff (NRC) as well as local environmental groups, clubs, organisations and individual submitters. Deliberations were initially expected to last four days but came to a close just after midday on day three.

Although gaining overwhelming community support with nearly 200 of the 226 submissions received in favour of the construction of the wharf, NRC planners confirmed their recommendation that the resource consent be declined. In a summary statement a NRC staff spokesperson said that the key reason was because the Wharf Trust’s proposal did not meet the policy requirements of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, the Regional Policy Statement and the Proposed Regional Plan for Northland.

“These require the avoidance of adverse effects on the NZ fairy tern which is a ‘nationally critical’ species. Although the majority of the potential adverse environmental effects of the proposed wharf could be avoided or satisfactorily mitigated, the applicant had not demonstrated that its potential adverse effects on fairy terns, particularly those effects from ongoing use of the wharf, are able to be avoided.” Wharf Trust chair Colin Leach says although the NRC decision was disappointing, he remains positive. “No decision has been reached yet,” he says. “We believe we presented a good application and remain hopeful that a decision will be in favour of rebuilding the wharf.”

The hearing is now in adjournment with commissioners putting forward technical questions to various parties. “The Wharf Trust will have a right-of-reply and gives us an opportunity to answer to anything we’ve heard and amend our application,” says Leach. “The commissioners then have 15 working days to make their decision… we won’t know what this is though for a little over a month. Thanks to everyone for their support.”

Through their submissions, supporters stated the structure will be a positive addition for the community, linking land to the harbours waters, providing a recreational facility and integrating the current walking-cycling tracks, become a tourist attraction benefiting the local economy, as well as restoring the area’s Maori and colonial history.

The majority opposing the wharf cited potential adverse effects on the endangered fairy terns as a main reason, as well as concerns over water safety, increased traffic and people, lack of facilities at the location, ongoing maintenance, setting a precedent for future developments and quering of the necessity of the ‘nonessential structure’ which could place ‘unnecessary financial burden on the community’.

The Fairy Tern Trust stated ‘the adverse effects on the fairy terns’ is an ‘unacceptable risk to the bird’s survival’ and that ‘the rights of other species to exist needs to be balanced against human activities’.