Mangere housing site in doubt

A protest sign near the Otuataua Stonefields. Photo / Dean Purcell

A Fletchers project to build up to 480 homes on a Mangere site, including ancestral burial caves, may be the first Auckland Special Housing Area to be revoked after a revolt by local residents and a change of mind by some city councillors.

Seven Auckland councillors, including both Manukau ward councillors Arthur Anae and Alf Filipaina, have signed a notice of motion to revoke support for a Special Housing Area (SHA) at the next full council meeting on August 27.

Mr Anae said he had changed his mind because of a similar change of stance by members of the nearby Makaurau Marae, whose ancestors are buried in at least three lava caves on the 16ha site adjoining the Otuataua Stonefields near Auckland Airport.

"Personally I think we should relook at it because it sounds like there's been a change of thinking," he said.

Mr Filipaina said he supported the motion so that the council could hear from a group called Save Our Unique Landscape (Soul) led by young Makaurau Marae residents, who have gathered 2500 signatures on a petition against the development.

Councillor Cathy Casey, who organised the motion to revoke the SHA, told other councillors that "Makaurau Marae endorse their rangatahi [members of Soul] and give them full support to proceed with opposition to the SHA".

Marae committee chairwoman Janice Roberts said her committee voted unanimously two weeks ago to support Soul's campaign and she estimated that about 74 of the village's 80 households opposed the housing project.

However, Te Warena Taua, who chairs the Makaurau Marae Maori Trust, said by text that the marae committee "does not have jurisdiction".

"Its job is to deal with day-to-day business of the marae. It is the Makaurau Marae Maori Trust that this area falls within. I'm the chair and they [councillors] certainly have not approached us," he said.

Fletcher Living applied to the council on June 30 to rezone most of the site for "mixed housing suburban", which is expected to allow unlimited density subject to a two-storey height limit.

Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said the council and the marae appealed to the Environment Court against proposals to rezone the land for housing, but lost the case in 2012 and could not now stop development without going back to court or buying the land.

Any council decision to revoke its support for the SHA would go to Housing Minister Nick Smith.