Okahu Bay berths approved

By JULIET ROWAN and BRIDGET CARTER

Auckland City Council has approved a $30 million, 172-berth marina on Tamaki Drive.

Construction at Okahu Bay is to begin in February and take 18 months. The developer, Orakei Marine Development, gained final permission last week.

The marina will cover 5.7ha of sea by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club, extending about 250m west from the Okahu Landing seawall.

It will be owned and operated by a charitable trust, which will include members of Ngati Whatua, the Royal Akarana Yacht Club, and the local community.

The Crown has approved a seabed licence for 35 years, after which time the council has the option of taking ownership.

A deck will be built along the western seawall to carry 141 carparks and link the pontoon marina berths, which will range from 12m to 35m long.

As part of the project, the developer will build a new public walkway and fishing platform at the northern end of Okahu Bay.

It will provide public toilets, improve lighting and security in the area, and upgrade the wastewater system as well.

The developer gained permits to dredge 135,000cu m of seabed, build rock and floating breakwaters over the seabed.

The final requirement - permission to use adjoining council land for park, administration and access - was granted last week.

During the resource consent process, the project drew 90 submissions in support but more than 200 against.

Opponents said the marina would spoil open water views from Tamaki Drive, worsen traffic problems and hand over 5ha of seabed to developers for private gain.

The Tamaki Drive Protection Society and owners of a dozen homes in exclusive Paritai Drive were among those who voiced opposition.

The Royal Akarana Yacht Club, which has been along the site since 1953, supported the project

John Williams, commodore of the yacht club, and Sir Hugh Kawaru of Ngati Whatua were two members of the Orakei Marina Management Trust that submitted the resource consent application.

A council spokeswoman said the project was approved because it was in keeping with the council's vision for marine-related activities that allowed public access on Tamaki Drive.

She said it also gained approval because it was smaller than other marina applications.

The council was charging the developer an annual fee to use the council land, but would not say how much.

Project director Tony Mair said 700 people had already expressed interest in buying berths.

Paritai Dve resident Carrol Andrews said she was "definitely opposed" to the new marina.

"We just don't want any commercialism on the waterfront and I think it will spoil the beach," she said.

Five companies will be involved in construction: Smith & Davies (rock breakwall), Heron Construction (hard rock excavation), Smith Bridge (concrete car park), Bellingham Marine (floating berths), and McBreen Jenkins Ltd (onshore construction).