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Rodney Local Board has agreed to lease a vacant house on Sandspit Wharf to Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust (NMST) as a marine and community information hub, but only after a split decision and the chair using his casting vote.
The trust applied to lease the former wharf manager’s house earlier this year as a base for its marine operations in and around the Hauraki Gulf, including protecting and monitoring ecosystems and educational activities.
Council community lease specialist Karen Walby gave board members two options at their meeting on September 20 – to undertake an expression of interest process, which would allow any other interested parties to come forward, or to progress a new lease to NMST directly, subject to conditions.
This prompted concerns over perceived transparency and process from some members.
Warkworth member Tim Holdgate asked why a similar application by Bowls Warkworth to lease land in Glenmore Drive for a new club had gone out for expressions of interest, when NMST had the chance to be granted a lease without having to go through that process.
Walby said both matters were in response to the board’s own feedback. At a workshop in March on the Bowls Warkworth proposal, members said they wanted it to go out for expressions of interest, whereas at a workshop in May for the Sandspit lease, there was mixed feedback from members, hence her giving members two options to vote on – one for expressions of interest, the other to progress the lease.
Holdgate also asked why the information in the report had not been provided to the Sandspit Residents and Ratepayers Association, which had expressed its interest in sharing the cottage with other groups in a presentation to the board in July.
Walby said that presentation had not been passed on to her and she had only received one formal application to lease the building, and that was from Ngāti Manuhiri.
Ivan Wagstaff then asked repeatedly if the trust would be running commercial activities from the site. Walby said it would not, but pointed out that there were several businesses already being operated from community-leased venues, such as the restaurant at Sandspit Yacht Club and Omaha Beach Golf Club’s pro shop, bar and café.
Wagstaff also queried the “large cost” of $120,000 to renovate the cottage to the required standard, something which members had already approved at their July meeting.
“Council cannot reasonably put a community group in a council building if it’s not brought up to spec,” Walby said, adding that recently increased rent and maintenance fees would be paid.
Council lease performance and system advisor Michelle Chen said the opportunities offered by granting NMST a lease outweighed any risks.
“The environmental activity they intend to deliver, just think how many boxes that will tick for you,” she said. “What are community leases for? To deliver on outcomes for the community – and all these align with local board and council plans.
“Ngati Mānuhiri were the ones who saw the building was vacant and took the initiative to apply for a lease. They are open to collaboration and conversation on how this space can be best used with the community.”
An amendment by Wagstaff to send the matter back to another workshop was lost. Members then voted to approve public notification of council’s intention to grant NMST a new community lease, subject to engaging with other mana whenua, and building and resource consents for refurbishment and change of use. The rent will be $1300 plus GST per annum, if demanded, and there will be an annual maintenance fee of $5000 plus GST.
