Golf threat to Waiheke wetland

Paul Walden grew up next to Onetangi Reserve on Waiheke, and is disappointed part of a wetland may soon be filled with soil from the island's roads.

The local board member says the land had been purchased by the council as a reserve for the community's recreational needs, but will instead be dominated by Waiheke Golf Club, which has plans to increase the size of its course from nine to 18 holes.

He claims the golf club will be paid by Auckland Transport to fill in a wetland area with dirt from Waiheke's roads, and it could make about $1.5 million from the deal.

Auckland Transport says it is in negotiations with the golf club over the site but no decision has been reached and no money has changed hands.

It says it doesn't know where the idea comes from regarding filling in that part of the reserve.

"Auckland Transport is considering a number of sites to cope with a shortfall on the island of clean fill capacity," spokesperson Mark Hannan said. "Rangihoua Park/Onetangi Sports Reserve is not one of them, and never has been. We have no idea where that suggestion comes from."

Mr Walden showed The Aucklander the land attached to the golf club and asserts that is the area that will be filled in. It is land owned by the council but leased back to the golf club.

In 2009 the golf club gained a non-notified consent to fill in some of the land with cleanfill, with a view to extending its course.

Mr Walden says the extension is unfair when Waiheke residents have been requesting things like a swimming pool, scout hall and cricket field to complement Rangihoua Park, known as Onetangi Sports Park, which is part of the reserve.

He'd like to see the council undertake a reserve-management plan to determine best use for the only large area of public land available on the western side of the island.

"Why council officers are falling over themselves to prop up a golf club is beyond me."

In 1984, Auckland City Council purchased the land from the former golf club to preserve the club for public use and allow for other activities. A horse-riding club and tennis club were built, but 20ha of land remained unoccupied.

When the golf club's lease came up for renewal in 2007, the council allowed it to extend to an undeveloped portion of the reserve, which includes bridle trails and a wetland.

Green MP Denise Roche wrote to the Minister of Conservation, Kate Wilkinson, who declared the club's lease of the land invalid because it hadn't been signed off correctly.

Ms Wilkinson said granting long-term leases over the reserve without obtaining consent from the department was outside the council's powers.

The local board will decide tonight whether to go ahead with a reserve management plan or advertise a fully notified lease to approved by the Department of Conservation. Council officers have indicated they prefer the second option.

Mr Walden says if it's decided the land is needed for cleanfill, the money earned from its filling should go to the community, "not an exclusive private club".

Mr Walden says other local board members have accused him of having a conflict of interest because he's a member of the horse-riding club, which is pushing for more access on the golf club land. He also claims council officers have refused him more information under the Official Information Act, telling him details were sent to local board members only on a "need to know" basis.

Golf club president Graham Orr says the club doesn't support a reserve management plan as it would be counterproductive for a golf club and tourism facility. He says the club has resource consent to fill in about 16,000cu m but the consent can't be used until the lease is sorted out. No deal had been reached with Auckland Transport and the figure of $1.5 million is "pure fiction".

Mr Orr says the club has spent about $130,000 getting a resource consent. It could make money out of cleanfill but much of that would be absorbed by administration costs and the construction of a new road.

"Any notion we'd be swimming in money is patently absurd."

Mr Orr says dumping will be monitored and won't be "within cooee" of any protected wetland.

Auckland Transport agrees. Mr Hannan says negotiations with the golf club for a suitable site on their on their property are at a very early stage and "does not include, nor has ever included, the wetlands on the neighbouring reserve."

ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE

Mr Walden disputes that. He says the area earmarked was recognised as a site of ecological significance in a 1989 report by DoC.

But DoC spokesman Rory Newsam says despite that report the area has never been recognised officially.

Author of Wetlands of New Zealand, Janet Hunt, agrees with Mr Walden. She was a member of the Waiheke County Council in 1984 and supported the motion to purchase the land. Ms Hunt says the council's plans are "not a good look". She says the wetland is important for "buffering silt and fertiliser and keeping our bays and water clear".

The Auckland Council has run a wetlands awareness campaign this year. Acting biodiversity manager Jonathan Boow says on the council website that wetlands "support a great diversity of plants, insects and wildlife, including many endangered species. They also ... help improve water quality and reduce flood risks".

"Many people underrate their importance and over 90 per cent of New Zealand's wetlands have been destroyed, so they are amongst our rarest and most at-risk ecosystems.

"Consequently, Auckland Council is actively working to restore, maintain and improve wetlands around the region, and to improve public awareness about their importance."

Ms Roche says the council has allowed its subsidiary to meddle with an environmentally sensitive area.

"Auckland Transport have been able to compromise an ecologically sensitive site and they've been able to do that with no input from the public.

"It smacks of heavy-handedness. Particularly on Waiheke, which has highly active conservation groups."

Ms Roche supports a reserve-management plan, saying ratepayer funds should support other activities, not just golf. "The golf club has a sweet deal. I approve of golf but competing needs must be canvassed wider."

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