Public submissions wanted for wharf project

JULIA WADE

A local community group’s ambitious vision to see Mangawhai harbour once again decked out with a wharf took a few steps closer over lockdown, beginning with the official filing of a several-hundred-page document.

Following a successful PledgeMe campaign last year which raised $80,000 for the consent, Mangawhai Historic Wharf Trust (MHWT) filed the proposed historic wharf rebuild resource consent with Northland Regional Council (NRC) on April 7, who are now open to receive public submissions on the project.

MHWT chair Colin Leach says the Trust took extra time preparing the consent ‘to ensure we have the best chance of success’.

“We critically reviewed our documents in terms of both format and content before we pressed the button on the public hearing process, which will take a minimum of six months,” he says. “Even though this has taken a little more time than planned, we believe the time has resulted in a much-improved set of documents – all 371 pages of them!”

Envisioned to reflect the design of the old 1880s wharf, the structure will stand in the same location as the original at the end of Moir Street by Mangawhai Tavern. Stretching just over 100 metres into the harbour, the three metre wide, 14 metre long walkway will lead to a small shelter shed and floating 12 metre by 4 metre pontoon, providing a place to fish, swim, kayak and sail from. MHWT also believe the reconstructed wharf will be a key feature on harbour walking tracks and become a tourist attraction, and ‘all going well’ with consents, councils and funding, construction could start as soon as 2021.

NRC began the notification process with an advertisement in the Focus’ May 25 issue. Public submissions on the prescribed form are accepted until June 23, are ‘straight forward’ to fill in and open to everyone ‘whether it is for or against the wharf’.

However Leach says the main reason MHWT was established to start the process of rebuilding the wharf, ‘which so far has been a long and expensive process’, was due to the overwhelming positive feedback from the community in support of the project.

“As everyone knows, Mangawhai is a rapidly growing community with limited amenities and access to the harbour. The wharf will integrate well into our walking and cycle ways, provide a link to the water and can be a valuable educational tool for promoting the wellbeing and understanding of the harbour and all of its inhabitants,” he says. “Demonstrating community support is

essential to success… when completing your submission, think about what the rebuild of the wharf would mean for you, your family, the organisations you are part of and for our community as a whole.”

A computer concept of the new wharf as it will look in the harbour. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

“The wharf will integrate well into our walking and cycle ways, provide a link to the water and can be a valuable educational tool.”

Colin Leach