The Department of Conservation wants stricter controls on clearing native flora on the planned subdivision of a site considered sacred to Ngunguru Maori.
Doc is appealing against a Whangarei District Council decision allowing a 33ha block of land near Ngunguru to be subdivided into four lots.
The land contains Whakareora Mountain, also
known as Whakairiora, a site of paramount importance to Te Waiariki/Ngati Korora/Ngati Taka hapu. The hapu have also appealed against the decision to the Environment Court.
Independent hearings commissioner Alan Watson, on behalf of the Whangarei District Council, approved the subdivision in August with a raft of conditions.
But the hapu do not want any subdivision of the land and Mitai Paraone-Kawiti, of the Te Waiariki/Ngati Korora/Ngati Taka Resource Management Unit, said an appeal had been lodged because of the cultural, historical and spiritual significance of Whakareora to the hapu.
The hapu say building houses on the sacred mountain at Ngunguru would be akin to defiling Westminster Abbey or the Vatican.
"It's too important a site to lose," Mr Paraone-Kawiti said.
At the consent hearing in June, Doc botanist Lisa Forester said the property contained the only known stand of pohutukawa, kauri and kawaka growing together in New Zealand and for that reason it needed to be protected.
Ms Forester said the site also contained eight nationally or regionally threatened plants and 13 nationally threatened animals had been recorded as visiting the site.
The department's Northland community relations manager, Jeff Griggs, said the Doc appeal asked that a consent to clear native flora among the pohutukawa, kauri and kawaka stand be refused. It also wants a buffer zone around the stand.
Doc also wants other native flora clearance on the site to be limited to areas where it would have no adverse effects and in areas identified before the consent was granted.
"It's all about the importance of this vegetation and its significance," Mr Griggs said.
Conditions imposed by Mr Watson include preserving bush, limiting earth movement, protecting cultural and ecological values, and building controls. He said the proposal initially raised concern because of its coastal location, its vegetation, ecological and Maori values. A date has yet to be set for the Environment Court hearing.
