Land sale sweetens dream of public park

Sir David Tompkins (left) and Bernard Duignan take time out along one of the lakes at Chelsea Estate. Picture / Kenny Rodger

A key piece of land for a proposed new metropolitan park on the Waitemata Harbour has been secured in public ownership.

The owner of the Chelsea Sugar Refinery at Birkenhead has agreed to sell for $20 million its surrounding 36.7ha of parkland and lakes.

The buyer is the Chelsea Park Trust, formed by a group of citizens five years ago to acquire the land.

Chelsea Park Trust chairman Sir David Tompkins said if the trust were not able to acquire the land as a public park in perpetuity, parts of the estate could have been subdivided when the 125-year-old refinery closed.

"We were anxious to avoid that. The trust regards this as a project for the benefit of Auckland and beyond," he said. "It is a park close to the centre of Auckland ... a superb regional asset with its heritage, industrial village, century-old houses, fishing and bird feeding spots, historic gardens, dams and walking and jogging tracks."

Sir David hoped this would become the nucleus of a larger park on what is known as the Uruamo Headland.

Other parts of the headland were under separate ownership - the Kauri Point Centennial Park of 26ha, Kauri Point Domain (17ha) and Chatswood Reserve (13.7ha) owned by the North Shore City Council, and the Kauri Point Naval Armaments Depot (83ha) owned by the Crown.

These parts together would give a continuous unspoiled and forested coastline on the northern harbour, west of the harbour bridge.

Sir David was interested in the potential for developing an indigenous bush area and wildlife sanctuary similar to one at Karori, which is only 2km from Wellington.

Trustee Neil Darroch, who led the negotiations on the trust's behalf, said the Chelsea land was unique for its location and the marvellous views.

The trust considered the $20 million price to be fair, taking into account increases in land values.

The sale was subject to the trust raising the money and settlement was some months away, he said.

"We anticipate that all conditions will be fulfilled, though we have a good deal of work to do."

Mr Darroch said the trust was grateful to the North Shore City Council for help with administration and legal costs, and generous offers of money towards the purchase price from the ASB Charitable Trust, the Auckland Regional Council and the Department of Conservation,

Chelsea's owners allow public access to the park, part of which was used as a village for employees when Birkenhead was bush and farm land.

New Zealand Sugar Company general manager Bernard Duignan said the land became important as a buffer zone between the refinery and its neighbours and had allowed it to keep operating 24 hours a day.

The company sought covenants on the land as a condition of sale to allow Chelsea Sugar to continue as a strong business on its remaining 14ha for the foreseeable future.

Mr Duignan said the company also sought conditions to preserve the value of the remainder of its site, which includes a wharf for ocean-going ships.

This included planning acceptance that provided a suitable zoning pattern for the refinery site if it were relocated.

But he said Chelsea employed more than 200 people and supplied much of the New Zealand food and beverage market, as well as export customers.

"We've been here a long time and we intend to stay a long time."

The trust was congratulated on the deal yesterday by Northcote residents Dinah and Tony Holman, who in 1997 started an organisation to campaign for the idea of forming a regional park on the Uruamo Headland.

"This is the major breakthrough we have been hoping for," said Mr Holman.

While the trust focused on getting land around the refinery, the Chelsea Regional Park Association and the Uruamo Ecological Society are pressing ahead with plans for the headland to become one big park and wildlife sanctuary.

HARBOUR PARK

* Chelsea Sugar Refinery has sold 36ha of its 50ha site on Waitemata Harbour.

* The park-like land was bought for $20 million by Chelsea Park Trust.

* The trust is still raising the money despite promises of large donations.

* The land will pass into public ownership.

* People can visit the Birkenhead park, which has lakes, large trees and walks.