Cow-abunga: Auckland cattle farm could become surf park after purchase consent granted to US developer

An image showing how the proposed surf park will fit in to the Dairy Flat landscape.

Plans by an international business to develop a surf park in rural Auckland have come a step closer, with the applicant getting consent to buy a Dairy Flat farm.

Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand yesterday released the decision, saying a subsidiary of global surf park developer American business Aventuur Inc could buy 42ha at 1350 Dairy Flat Highway from New Zealand company Yue Teng.

The site is now farmland, grazed by cattle.

AW Holdings 2021 is the NZ-registered entity which won the consent. It is half owned by NZ interests, 27 per cent United States, 17 per cent Australian, various others and a subsidiary of Aventuur.

That business plans to develop the surf park and perhaps other schemes too.

“As well as a surf lagoon, the surf park will include accommodation, retail, and hospitality amenities,” the decision made on February 11 said.

The vendor will retain an interest in part of the land, through a joint venture with the applicant.

This part of the land may be developed into a solar farm and data centre, either by the applicant or a third party, LINZ said. “The plan is for the waste heat from the data centre to be used to warm the surf lagoon that Aventuur have announced,” a Spark spokeswoman told the Herald earlier.

Aventuur said it was founded in 2019 and “is the leading developer and operator of integrated surf park developments. We deliver authentic surfing destinations, sympathetic to their location, incorporating thoughtfully designed buildings, landscapes and experiences.

“With offices in Los Angeles and Perth, our team combines deep surf park expertise, investment rigour and passion to drive exceptional outcomes”.

The purchase needed to go via LINZ due to the land being farmland, which is classified as sensitive under the Overseas Investment Act.

Artist renders were produced to provide a sense of the aesthetics of the finished Auckland Surf Park project.

Last year, the Herald reported how the Auckland Surf Park was expected to create more than 400 jobs during the construction process and 120 full-time equivalent positions once operational. Those behind it forecast that more than $600 million will be contributed to the Auckland economy over the life of the project.

Plans to build the surf park were revealed in November 2020.

Aventuur and their project partners were still in the process of securing the perfect location, last year’s article said. The process took three years, with plenty of potential sites canvassed before the location in Dairy Flat was selected.

URBNSURF in Melbourne opened for business in January, 2021. Photo / Getty Images

Aventuur had put thought into the sustainability and environmental impact aspects of such a project and is targeting a NZ Green Buildings Council green-star rating. It will feature a solar farm, while the developers are looking to warm the park’s lagoon with excess heat stored from its data centre, the Herald reported last year.

In 2021, the Herald reported how former All Black and mental health advocate Sir John Kirwan’s passion for surfing had got him involved in a project to build the country’s first wave park in Auckland.

Aventuur had approached him to get involved in the project, he said.

Aventuur has acquired a licence to build a surf park in Auckland using the cove technology produced by Spanish company Wavegarden, the Herald reported three years ago.

The Wavegarden cove can produce up to 1000 waves an hour, with changeable wave settings to suit the needs and abilities of the surfers.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.