Controversial land swap approved in Auckland

A controversial land swap for a housing project at Three Kings Quarry has been approved by Auckland councillors today.

Fletcher Residential has proposed a land swap with Auckland Council as part of a high density housing development for about 1500 residents at its Three Kings Quarry site.

The land swap has been strongly opposed by local community groups and the Puketapapa Local Board, who all believe Fletchers are getting the better of the deal.

The swap involves council-administered reserve land for new sports field and other land improvements provided by Fletchers.

The land swap has been through a planning process where an independent panel of commissioners recommended the council proceeds with the exchange on certain conditions.

At today's Auckland Development committee, councillors heard from community groups who claimed the council-administered land was more valuable than the land the council was receiving.

Clive Fuhr, from the council's development agency, said it was absolutely satisfied the swap did not disadvantage the council. The value of the land the council received was more than the value of the land the council was putting in, he said.

The Three Kings United Group and South Epsom Planning Group called on councillors to stop the battle.

"Resources in this matter are seriously skewed. Local Board and community views have been marginalised using the joint legal, financial, lobbying and report-writing of Fletcher and Panuku Development Auckland(council's development arm),"the two groups said in a briefing paper.

Puketapapa Local Board member Michael Wood said the board had been marginalised and treated with contempt by the council over the issue for five years.

"We are asking you to postpone so we can link arms and do this properly because that is what our community deserve,"he said.

Fletcher's Winstone has operated a scoria quarry since the 1920s, creating the city's deepest quarry.

Residents in the area have called for Fletcher to fill in the quarry, but the business plans to re-contour parts of the side, then build within the hole.