Sign In / Register
The mobile wood-fired sauna which has been operating from a beachfront site in Ōrewa Beach Holiday Park for two years has had to move out, following a decision made by the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board last week.
The decision was made on October 27 and despite a plea for a little more time, Sauna Collective owner Cameron MacKinnon was required to vacate the site by October 29.
Auckland Council said he had already had an extension, as he was originally asked to vacate on September 25 following a review by holiday park management. Since then, MacKinnon has been fighting to stay.
Last week’s local board decision to decline his proposal to operate at the camp ground blindsided MacKinnon who told the paper that he had expected that “common sense and strong community support” would have helped members see the value of his operation.
Council’s report to the local board, presented to its October 27 meeting, recommended that the board decline the sauna’s proposal to continue operating at the holiday park.
It noted concerns raised by campground patrons, including noise, visual impact, smoke and smell. There has been an increase in foot traffic through the campground to and from the sauna as the business has become more popular. Council staff referred to “hundreds coming weekly to the sauna, diminishing the peaceful atmosphere that campers are paying for”.
However, because complaints were not logged, the scale of the dissatisfaction cannot be known.
Another issue is the effect of the sauna on the current redevelopment of that part of the campground to provide premium sites.
The local board decision states that the sauna is no longer compatible with holiday park operations and that it has had negative impacts on holiday park users with resulting loss of revenue to the council-owned facility.
The board noted strong community support for the business – this included a petition asking for the sauna to remain that obtained around 4000 signatures.
The vote saw a split in views between the Hibiscus Coast members – deputy chair Jake Law and members Leanne Willis and Gemma Moffat – who voted against the motion to remove the sauna, while all four Bays members voted for. Hibiscus Coast member Gary Brown was overseas and not in the meeting for the vote.
Had the vote gone the other way, the business would have faced compliance requirements that include resource and landowner consents. Staff said Sauna Collective would have been asked to vacate the site until those were in place.
Addressing members prior to the vote, chair Alexis Popplebaum said the benefits of the sauna, and its community value, were not in question – “it’s about whether this location is right for it”.
She said the issue highlights inconsistencies and bureaucracy in the various regulations relating to commercial operations in parks and reserves – something she hopes can be improved.
She described the Sauna Collective as “a victim of its own success”.
MacKinnon is now focused on finding an alternative site in Ōrewa, something he hopes to do before the end of January.
“Finding another site is not optional for me, but it will not be easy as being wood-fired and beachfront is my business model,” he said. “I must continue to support this community that has supported me.”
