My Account
The beach at the centre of the controversy before the marina was built.
A group of Sandspit residents are concerned a local beach will be left as a “mud bath” once the construction of the marina wraps up this month, but the Sandspit Marina Society claims it won’t be an issue.
The Marina Society has applied to remove resource consent conditions which require it to restore and enhance a beach adjacent to the marina.
Northern resource consent manager Ian Dobson says the application will be notified and people will be able to make submissions on the proposal when it is lodged in the near future.
Members of Sandspit SOS Inc (SSOSI) say the Marina Society made the application without any consultation with the community and the area will be left worse off.
SSOSI member Jo Haswell says the 200-metre beach has been turned into a “mud bath”.
But marina superintendent Graham Maker disagrees.
“The beach is exactly the same as it was,” Mr Maker says. “It’s a beach that nobody ever used as a recreational beach. It’s got stormwater drains from the carpark draining onto it and the coastguard uses it to drive its boat to a launch site. It would be a wasted exercise to restore it.”
The society originally intended to restore the beach using sand dredged for the marina construction, but the sand was too soft and muddy to use for the job and all the sand was barged off site, Mr Maker says.
“We would like to have restored it, but it would have been irresponsible to do it with poor quality material. We would have made it a lot worse.”
SSOSI has also raised concerns about an unconsented wall which it believes is having a significant impact on marine life in the area. The wall runs across Brick Bay Drive Stream and Jo says it blocks the path of fish in the intertidal area.
The wall was supposed to be removed once the marina was completed, but the Marina Society has applied for a retroactive consent for it.
Mr Maker says the wall helps stop sediment from Brick Bay Drive Stream and a culvert allows water in and out of the stream. The Marina Society has commissioned an ecologist report, which found the wall will not adversely impact the stream.
Mr Dobson says the concerns will be thoroughly examined once Council receives a consent application.
“While initial observations of the unauthorised wall have not shown any immediate significant adverse effects, we acknowledge the concerns raised about the potential effects of the wall,” Mr Dobson says. “We expect the application to be accompanied by a full assessment of effects on the environment that will address these matters in full. Once received, the consent will be processed in accordance with council practice.”
