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The construction of New Zealand’s first surf park at Dairy Flat is a step closer.
The project has been referred to an expert consenting panel for consideration under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast Track Consenting) Act 2020.
Former All Black, mental health advocate and lifelong surfer Sir John Kirwan is working with the developers, Aventuur, to deliver the surf park.
Kirwan says he is delighted with the Minister for the Environment’s decision to refer the project.
“This is a big step for the Auckland Surf Park, and we hope to secure the full consent by the end of this year,” he says. “This will be a tremendous boost for Auckland and Aotearoa in terms of community, sporting, tourism and economic benefits.”
Kirwan says that while he has surfed at Wavegarden facilities in Melbourne and Switzerland, he believed Auckland would set new benchmarks for surf park design, experiences and sustainability.
“Our goal is to deliver a truly unique surf park that is reflective of Aotearoa culture and contributes significantly to both individual health and community wellbeing. We’re planning to be responsible in how we design, build and naturescape the site, including regenerating an existing stream on the property and ensuring the community maintains its rural aesthetic.”
Adventuur spokesperson Trevor McKewen says that at the heart of the community will be a 2.2-hectare Wavegarden Cove surfing lagoon, offering perfect waves, tailored coaching, and unique experiences for all abilities in a safe and controlled environment.
He says the project will feature high-performance sports facilities, eco-cabins and lodging accommodation, community amenities and restaurants, as a data centre and solar farm.
“By incorporating complementary infrastructure within a single master planned site, Aventuur aims to create a sustainable ecosystem of land uses,” McKewen says.
“In a world-first, Aventuur is seeking to capture the heat generated by the data centre to warm the water of the park’s surfing lagoon. The seven-hectare solar farm is intended to provide renewable energy for the data centre.”
The development has a significant focus on sustainability, with the project targeting a New Zealand Green Buildings Council Green Star rating.
Other sustainability initiatives include using ‘zero embedded carbon’ concrete for structures, harvesting rainwater from the park’s roofs, composting organic waste on site, eliminating single use plastics, and procuring local materials and products wherever possible.
Aventuur is currently developing a surf park in Perth, which recently received development approval and the company is also progressing projects in the APAC region and North America.
The NZ park will be built on land on Dairy Flat Highway, just south of Horseshoe Bush Road. All going well, the developers hope to open the complex sometime in 2026.
