Save our island

Rather than see Pararekau Island sold to developers, a Manukau resident wants to see it planted with trees and opened to the public. Kieran Nash reports.
Lucie Rutherfurd stands in the wind. Behind her lies Pararekau Island, the second largest island in Manukau Harbour. She punctuates every word with a wave of her arms as she spells out why she's concerned about the island's future.
Papakura District Council plans to amend zoning rules to allow development on the island, land on which is  valued at $5.7 million.
At a hearing scheduled for next Monday,  a committee of two councillors and an independent commissioner will decide whether the plan, titled Plan Change No8, goes ahead.
Miss Rutherfurd hopes Pararekau will be saved from the development plans of the island's owners, Ian and James Ross.
"My basic concern is that Manukau Harbour has very few islands. Being a long-term Manukau resident, I would be very sad to see it end up as a gated community. These are islands of high significance to Maori and all New Zealand.
"They're hugely relevant to our history and our heritage."
She'd rather the island be given for the public to use. "I think it'd be a really nice public gesture if Mr Ross turned these islands into a public reserve and planted them with native trees. If the new Auckland body was approached, hopefully they would find the funds to make that a reality."
The island and its smaller neighbour, Kopuahingahinga, are owned by Karaka Harbourside Estate.
Director Ian Ross referred inquiries to architect Nigel Hosken, who declined to comment.
However, the plan change proposal does address some of Miss Rutherfurd's fears - it allows for a public access zone and the planting of native trees in the area, and bans development past 11 lots on the 20ha island.
Called the Pararekau Island Countryside Living Zone, its  purpose  is to subdivide and develop Pararekau Island "in a manner that will retain and enhance the ecological integrity and characteristics".
The application notes the plan, rather than turning the island into a "gated community", will open the island to public access.
"Improved access to the coastal environment is enhanced through the establishment of a public esplanade strip around the perimeter of Pararekau Island, which will provide members of the public with pedestrian and cycle access to the island.
"To offset fears about the look of the island, the plan "will require specified parts of Pararekau Island to be planted in native vegetation and an ongoing landscaping management plan established".
Mary Haliday lives across the water on Conifer Grove and overlooks the existing development and island. Although she is not against the development, she thinks it needs to be managed carefully.
"There are positives. It's not going to be so high-density and the walkway they're going to have on the island is going to be pretty cool," she says.
Maori authority, Ngati te Ata-Waiohua, opposes the plan change, stating in its submission that Te Motu a Pararekau is a waahi tapu (a place or thing of sacred or spiritual significance). It says other options should be explored that protect, preserve and enhance these regional values of significance.
Auckland Regional Council's policy and planning manage, Hugh Jarvis, says development "will give the appearance of looking quite urban in nature. We're also getting concerned that this is a step towards more intense urbanisation of the island".
But the plan change also addresses that. It specifically cites prohibition of a more intensive subdivision on the island to protect   its appearance and character.
Papakura District Council spokesman Mark Baker says it is not  appropriate for him to comment before a hearing. However, he says the council has not been asked to  buy the islands, nor is it likely to in its remaining five months before amalgamation.
Island life
Pararekau and Kopuahingahinga Islands lie in Manukau Harbour's Pahurehure Inlet. The  inlet is a tidal estuary, found northwest of Papakura's centre. Mangroves cover much of it, including an area surrounding Pararekau Island. Earlier this year, Auckland Regional Council approved removal of some of the mangroves after a 16-year battle by the Pahurehure Inlet Protection Society to have them removed. That work has started, with 2.5ha of mangroves removed already and, over the next three years, another 27ha of mangroves  to be removed.