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Hopper Developments has lodged an application for fast-track government approval for a 300-berth marina and public boat ramp in Gulf Harbour, adjacent to the residential subdivision that it is currently developing at Hobbs Bay.
The proposal envisages 300 14 to 25 metre berths and 10 superyacht berths, immediately to the east of the entrance to Gulf Harbour Marina, and opposite the ferry terminal. A proposed layout, overlaid over an aerial map, also shows a public boat ramp, trailer park, public walkway, beach and carpark.
The future marina would be tucked below the site where Hopper Developments is transforming Hobbs Bay farm into an 88-lot residential subdivision, reserves and a café in the historic Hobbs homestead.
Following resource consent last November, earthworks at the site, which is accessed off Daisy Burrell Drive, began early this year, and civil works for stage one are expected to commence from the middle of next month.
Hoppers sales and marketing manager Shana Hopper-McCully says that the company sees great potential in the area as “a premium coastal community”.
She says the company’s research indicates a significant shortfall in boating facilities in the area, with delays in trailer boat access for launching and retrieval causing frustration among local boaties.
“Our proposal is designed to alleviate some of this frustration and help address the existing undersupply,” she says.
Hoppers lodged a resource consent application early this month with the Ministry for the Environment, under the pending Fast Track Approvals Bill (see below).
Hoppers earlier informed Gulf Harbour Marina of its plans for a potential marine development at Hobbs Bay, and sought its support.
Gulf Harbour Marina manager Murray Dixon told Hibiscus Matters the proposal came out of the blue.
He says while Hoppers asked Gulf Harbour Marina to support its proposal, it could not do so, as it has not been given sufficient information by the developer.
“We don’t know what the concept is so it’s hard to comment on it at this point in time, to be fair,” Dixon says.
By contrast to the 300 berths and 10 superyacht berths in the proposed Hobbs Bay project, Gulf Harbour Marina has more than 1000 berths, for vessels ranging from 10.5m to 55m.
Explaining the decision to make the application for a future marina now, Hopper-McCully says that once the Hobbs Bay state subdivision is completed, “the opportunity to expand with a marina development would be considerably more challenging”.
“Such opportunities are rare and there are few other suitable locations for a marina in the Auckland region,” she says. “We believe there is a responsibility on developers like us to fulfil the needs of our community to recreate on the water.”
Other projects by the family owned and operated company include Pauanui Waterways and Whitianga Waterways in Coromandel, and Marsden Cove in Northland, all of which have marinas.
Legislation inches ahead
The Fast Track Approvals Bill would introduce an expedited decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects that are considered to have significant regional or national benefits. The bill is at the select committee stage, but during a month-long period that ended on May 3, a range of private and public sector applicants, including Hoppers, submitted projects to the Ministry for the Environment. A six-person advisory group is reviewing applications before making recommendations to Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Transport Minister Simeon Brown, who will decide which projects to include in the bill. The government aims to insert those projects into one of two schedules once the bill returns to the House. Should the bill become law, an expert panel will consider applications and report back to the three ministers with a recommendation to grant or decline them. The final decisions are in the hands of the ministers. A list of the projects submitted before the May 3 deadline has not been made public. A ministry spokesperson said last week it cannot say when, or if, it will be released.
