Mangawhai residents are jubilant that sand mining in their harbour will stop soon.
Their elation follows news that mining companies Norsand Ltd and Sea Tow Ltd will not appeal against a Northland Regional Council recommendation that the sand operations cease.
Mangawhai resident Jan Morgan excitedly shouted "we have won" when the Northern
Advocate rang her.
Mrs Morgan and fellow Mangawhai residents claim the two mining companies were causing irreversible damage to the harbour.
"I'm absolutely over the moon.
"This outcome is exactly what we wished for.
"I'm pleased that common sense has prevailed and that hopefully nature will let it all get better," Mrs Morgan said.
Sea Tow Ltd and Norsand Ltd had been seeking resource consents to each take 25,000cu. m of sand annually for 10 years, largely to supply the Auckland construction industry.
They were also seeking another permit to continue mining.
However, last month a Northland Regional Council hearing committee recommended to Minister of Conservation Chris Carter that he decline the applications.
The NRC said the mining had a "high probability of adversely affecting the coastal environment and the local community".
The companies had three weeks to appeal against the decision.
Both companies say they decided not to appeal as it would have created a lot of "unpleasantness" with Mangawhai residents who had made it clear the companies were not wanted.
Sea Tow Ltd spokesman Steve Westgate said: "We don't agree with a lot of the evidence or the decision but at the end of the day, there's so much ill feeling in the the community, to continue would have created a lot of unpleasantness."
He also said it was not "worth the hassle".
Norsand Ltd director Murray Wilkinson said he accepted that the community did not want his company in the harbour and his firm would now mine sand from Auckland.
"They don't want us out there anymore ... We've done a good job and they pleaded for us to be there (to help unclog the harbour)," Mr Wilkinson said.
Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society deputy chairman Graham Mackenzie could not be reached for comment at edition time.
Sand mining should stop within weeks when Minister of Conservation Chris Carter is expected to announce his support for the Northland Regional Council's recommendation.
