The existing jetty and single boat ramp at Rangitāne, on the northern side of Kerikeri Inlet. A proposed reclamation would be to the right of the ramp in this photo. Photo / NZME
An appeal by Far North Holdings to revive its long-running, controversial Rangitāne boat‑ramp and land‑reclamation project has failed, with the High Court ruling the plan still falls short of strict coastal‑policy tests.
The boat ramp and carpark were proposed in 2020 and had sharply divided the small community at Rangitāne, about 13km from Kerikeri.
The plan would see the ageing single‑lane Rangitāne Loop Rd ramp replaced with a double‑width ramp, floating pontoon and a 7400sq m reclamation in Kerikeri Inlet for 27 parking spaces, manoeuvring space, a dinghy area, a walkway and picnic facilities.
The intended reclamation, about 150 metres long and 60 metres wide, has proved the most contentious part of the plan and was the reason an expert panel refused in January 2025, by two votes to one, to grant fast-tracked consent.
In a decision recently published online, Justice Gerard van Bohemen, dismissed the company’s appeal but recognised the proposed facility would be “a significant improvement on what was currently provided and would likely be a valuable asset for the communities of the Bay of Islands and for visitors to the region”.
The judge said the High Court result did not mean that consent for the project could not be obtained under the RMA or its impending replacement.
Far North Holdings Limited (FNHL), the commercial trading arm of Far North District Council, had sought to overturn the Expert Consenting Panel’s decision.
Referred for processing under the Covid‑19 Fast‑track Consenting Act in 2021 (a previous version of the Fast Track Consenting Act), the project was promoted as a safer, more efficient launching point for trailer boats and a badly needed upgrade to meet high recreational demand. FNHL argued it would strengthen community access to the water, boost tourism and support jobs during construction.
But the Expert Consenting Panel declined consent, finding FNHL had not shown the reclamation met the threshold requirements under Policy 10 of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS), which set strict “avoid” rules for coastal reclamation, allowing it only if four criteria were all met – including proving no suitable land outside the coastal marine area is available, and that no practicable alternative method exists.
In its appeal, FNHL argued the panel misunderstood its legal duties under the Fast‑track Act, misinterpreted key coastal-policy provisions, and wrongly separated the parking and manoeuvring area from the boat ramp instead of assessing the project as a single integrated launch facility.
FNHL also argued the panel was wrong to treat the nearby Rangitāne Reserve as an available alternative for parking, given the unresolved land‑status issues and practical constraints outlined in the FNHL’s evidence.
Van Bohemen rejected those arguments. He ruled the panel applied the law correctly and was entitled to conclude FNHL’s evidence fell short. Much of the material assessing alternative parking sites and alternative locations – including a “Boat Ramp Study”, a 2019 facilities report and a 2021 alternatives report – was outdated, incomplete or inconsistent with newer traffic assessment information.
The panel had repeatedly sought clearer evidence about whether nearby land such as the Rangitāne Reserve could be used for parking. The court found FNHL never provided enough reliable or up‑to‑date information to rule the reserve out as a practical option.
Because Policy 10 is a directive policy – meaning it requires decision-makers to avoid reclamations unless all of its strict criteria are proven – the judge said the panel had no legal choice but to refuse the application.
The Northern Advocate asked FNHL whether it intended to proceed with the application under the RMA or its replacement legislation. CEO Andy Nook said: “It was disappointing to have the appeal rejected and all parties who are participants to this application are currently reviewing this.”
Nook accepted that further evidence to satisfy Policy 10 of the NZCPS would be a prerequisite before moving forward.
The Rangitāne Residents Association – the group that originally funded and built the first jetty – has consistently opposed the redevelopment, while a separate organisation, the Rangitāne Recreation Association, has championed it.
In 2020 the project received a $2.4 million boost from the Government’s Covid‑19 “shovel‑ready” infrastructure fund, with the Far North District Council agreeing to contribute a further $1.2m.
Progress since then has been anything but smooth. Ngāpuhi raised concerns that it had not been properly consulted, prompting the commissioning of a new cultural impact report. The proposal also hit a significant procedural roadblock in April 2022, when an initial fast‑track bid was rejected following a court decision on wetland rules in an unrelated case.
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.