The controverial earthworks site with the Opete River in the foreground.
A Bay of Islands developer is under investigation amid claims he carried out major earthworks within the Queen's Chain and possibly destroyed an archaeological site.
Developer Trevor Love, of Mount Industrial Joint Venture Trust, who is developing a five-hectare block on
the Purerua Peninsula, near Kerikeri, says opponents are over-reacting.
The New Zealand Kiwi Foundation says the Northland Regional Council, Far North District Council, the Department of Conservation and the Historic Places Trust are investigating.
The authorities and local iwi visited the site in April when it was found work had been carried out in the DOC-administered Queen's Chain. It is also alleged development had been carried out too near the Opete River.
But Mr Love insists he carried out only minor work in the Queen's Chain. He was trying to grass the land and create an all-weather driveway to a house site.
"Basically we bought the block and dropped the pine trees. We then smoothed over the potholes and stumps. We had a big fire, for which we got a permit, and then cleared the site with a scoop.
"We are proud of everything we do. We are very aware of the environment and our developments are outstanding quality."
Northland Regional Council environmental monitoring officer Matt Kearney said Mr Love had accepted responsibility for the works and the regional council was deciding if there were grounds for prosecution.
"It would have been preferable to see a buffer strip between the earthworks and any waterways and for the developer to be aware of sediment run-off."
Mr Love, the councils and DOC were meeting today to discuss the earthworks. Greg Blunden, of the New Zealand Kiwi Foundation, said Mr Love's land was next to a wetland kiwi and waterfowl habitat. Too many developers believed they could recontour or clear land, he said.
Through his lawyer, Mr Love said no unauthorised work had been carried out. Vegetation clearance met council rules, and a consultant archaeologist had advised no archaeological sites had been destroyed. He believed there had been an over-reaction based on the "visual impact from clearing a few pine trees".
The same company was involved in controversial vegetation clearance late last year on Kurapari Rd, Kerikeri Peninsula. The project had no resource consent, but the Far North District Council did not prosecute as work stopped when an abatement notice was issued.
