The fight to save the Ngunguru Sandspit and a neighbouring sacred mountain has been taken directly to the Whangarei District Council.
A 2395-signature petition calling for the area to be protected was presented to the council last week.
The petition, which opposed the proposed sale of the sandspit and planned development of
the neighbouring Whakareora Mountain, was presented to the full council on Wednesday by Ngunguru residents Pat Heffey, Sophie Edwards and Judi Gilbert.
The sandspit is on the market with a valuation of $37.65 million but, despite tenders closing on February 28, it has not sold. A developer wants to subdivide a 33-hectare block of land at the southern end of the sandspit, which contains Whakareora Mountain - a site deemed of paramount importance to Te Waiariki, Ngati Korora and Ngati Taka hapu - into four blocks.
Both plans have been widely opposed by residents of the area and the petition calls on the council to help turn the whole area between Ngunguru and Horahora Rivers, which contains both sites, into a national park or world heritage site.
Meanwhile, a decision on whether to allow the Whakareora development is expected by the end of this month.
