Council pays $2.9m for rundown ferry wharf

The ferry wharf has had a chequered 14-year history. Picture / Paul Estcourt

The North Shore City Council has paid $2.9 million to own the rundown Devonport ferry wharf and will seek views on how it can be turned into a welcoming gateway for commuters and visitors.

Mayor George Wood said yesterday that the council had wanted to buy the wharf commercial building for some time despite the plans of Auckland "corporate crash pad" developer Peter Chevin to demolish it and develop 200 short-stay units.

Mr Chevin's Columbard company went into receivership in April after long negotiations to buy the lease from Monice Properties, a subsidiary of Bridgecorp.

The plan was strongly opposed by residents and a petition sought controls on any development to fit in with the nearby village.

Mr Wood said buying the building from Monice secured a positive future for the city's busiest ferry terminal which has more than a million commuters a year.

The council is head lessor of the wharf and owns the licence to the seabed.

Since opening in 1992 the hook-shaped building has had a string of owners and its thoroughfare shops and food court reduced to a few.

A top floor restaurant and public toilets closed some time ago.

Mr Wood said the building was showing wear and tear as a result of its marine environment and lack of investment in maintenance.

"Unfortunately over the years the owners have found it difficult to maintain as a viable venture," said Mr Wood.

"We have been reluctant to take on the problems of the wharf but councillors have seen the necessity to take full control of this key ferry terminal."

A city councillor and Devonport resident, Chris Darby, said the immediate plan was to reopen the toilets and tackle deferred maintenance.

"We've seen 14 years of failure at Devonport Wharf.

"Council could not stand idly by and ignore the failure of private enterprise, mounting community frustration and ongoing consequences for commuters, business and tourism."

Mr Darby said that providing for efficient ferry services within a memorable building was paramount in the forthcoming exercise to identify potential uses and partners for the next 50 to 80 years.

The Devonport purchase means the council now owns all its ferry wharves. Over the past year the council has improved security to its wharves in Stanley Bay, Northcote Point and Birkenhead.

A new $2.7 million terminal at Birkenhead will open next month.

In March the council bought the Victoria Theatre for $1.55 million and a charitable trust will run it as a cinema and performing arts centre and restore it.