Tempers rising at Whangārei Heads as Buddhist sanctuary emerges from the bush

The view from Little Munro Bay resident Greg Grant's kitchen window. Photo / Tania Whyte

An extraordinary cluster of golden pyramids and Buddha figures has emerged from a $1.5 million temple-like property in Whangārei Heads.

A once-subdued brown and green bush-clad home on Bay View Rd in Little Munro Bay has been transformed into a stark white multi-storeyed house framed by more than 40 fibreglass statues.

Also in contrast to its quiet bush surrounds at the base of Mt Aubrey are solar-powered floodlights and a chanting statue, along with a large figurine holding a dome that flashes different colours at night.

It has become a point of local fascination with one resident telling the Advocate about 100 cars a day would visit.

The property in Little Munro Bay after been painted white but before the surrounding bush was cleared. Photo / supplied

One neighbour, living with her husband and their two young children, said visitors to her home greeted the construction with "what the hell?", even though the development had intruded less as time went on.

"We used to hear the chants come on in the afternoons," the woman said. "The bright floodlights would reflect on our windows and light up our house."

As obvious as the property had become, there was no clear understanding as to who was behind it.

A woman entering the property's driveway told the Advocate she was Buddhist and had travelled from Auckland with others from the religion to help develop the property.

She said her "master" would be the best person to speak and passed on the Advocate's request for an interview.

The property was well concealed from the road until eye-catching fibreglass statues were erected. Photo / Tania Whyte

Within an hour, the travelling Buddhist texted to say: "The Master said that she is much appreciated that our community has an interest about our place. And she prefer to keep her own place privately, without anyone to disturbed [sic]."

She said the apparent temple was actually The Master's home. "The Master prefers to have a quiet place. And she would like to keep our community quiet too!"

And: "The master wish you all the best."

The woman residing at the property says it is her private residence and not a temple. Photo / Tania Whyte

The 1.4 hectare property was listed as owned by Yanhua Wang from Howick, Auckland, who bought it in 2010. It was not known if Wang and "The Master" are the same.

Wang also owned a property worth more than $3m in southeast Auckland and another in Papamoa, Bay of Plenty with an estimated value of $1.5m. Wang was listed as a director or shareholder in six different companies, including Dataland Computer (NZ) Limited and Holy Dragon International Limited.

Neighbour Greg Grant, whose kitchen window looked across the "monstrosity", said he felt as if the rules for the temple-like development had no relation to those he had followed as a builder in Little Munro Bay since 1985.

He said he believed no consideration had been given to the impact or appropriateness of the development on its neighbours or the environment.

"I'm at a loss as to how this type of development has been allowed to proceed in this pristine coastal environment."

Grant said he had to follow rules about colour, design, and non-reflective paints to blend with the bush when building a neighbouring house. He said he recalled the original owner of the temple-like property also being bound by similar rules.

Frustrated, he had written to Whangārei mayor Sheryl Mai and Whangārei District Council chief executive Rob Forlong in May. He said he expressed concern over removal of native bush and light pollution from the floodlights.

Also of concern were paint colours that reflected morning sunlight, additional levels added to the existing house, and platforms around the property. "All I got back was a bunch of useless words," he said.

Whangārei District Council general manager planning and development Dominic Kula said he believed it to be a situation in which a new resident's different approach at the boundary of a different zone had frustrated existing locals.

Kula said the buildings were compliant with rules as were the lights, which had been inspected. The statues also did not breach rules as they were not a fire hazard, he said.

He said the majority of the terraces were less than 1.5m above ground so did not require building consent.

Kula said the 500 square-metres of cleared vegetation did not include native plants.

Despite the areas where the owners have passed inspection, Kula identified a number of aspects that needed rectifying.

He said the property was in the District Plan's Coastal Environment which stated colours must not have a light reflectance value (LRV) of more than 35 per cent, which the white terraces breached. It did not dictate actual colour selection.

Areas where the terraces were greater than 1.5m "will be remedied as further tiers are added, or hand rails installed," he said.

Other parts of the development needed council sign-off, including viewing platforms and a large deck area.

Also, said Kula, "we expect a resource consent application to be lodged regarding the white and gold sculptures".