Viewpoint – Marina land not gone yet

A Council decision is expected this month regarding the possible sale of Council owned marina land at Gulf Harbour (HM July 4).

In my view, red herrings were put up by the Council property company Panuku; that the Public Works Act could not be used to secure the potential leasehold of the Hammerhead and that there was no budget to purchase this potential lease. In both cases there are realistic options. There is an excellent case for the Public Works Act purchase for strategic transport needs alone – ferry parking and facilities. And all the more compelling because the Hammerhead land was compensation for the loss of the large sandy beach, and all the marina land was reclaimed from the seabed. 

On the money side Panuku is $28 million ahead of its asset sales budget and besides the yearly lease income from the marina land of nearly $600,000 would be more than enough to cover the lease buyout value; in 2012 this was only $178,000 for the potential leasehold value.

What Councillor John Watson and I suspect is that once the marina is totally privatised it is highly likely we will see apartments pushing out parking, compromising the boat harbour purposes and making it virtually impossible for Council, as the landowner, to provide future space for ferry parking, parking for boat launching, recreational parking, place-making and public needs not yet known. We see this happening now at other marinas where Council has sold or is selling its freehold.

What we do know is the Hammerhead is at capacity for parking now. At the public meetings held by Panuku, I asked Auckland Transport had they done the future projections for ferry parking and facilities, and also asked Council Community Facilities had they done the planning for future space for boat use parking and recreational use such as freedom camping, beach, fishing and yachting. ‘No’ and ‘no’, they answered. Yet John and I know that when the ferries are run as a network with faster, more frequent and better more seaworthy ferries (like Sydney) patronage will make a huge leap.

Then there are the place-making improvements to the marina space like we’ve seen in the city at the Wynyard Quarter (where Council is deliberately retaining ownership) – why not for Gulf Harbour? We can stop this short-term expediency ahead of long term public good – and value.  It can be done; back in 2003-2006, John and I with community support stopped the deal to lose control of the Hammerhead for four stories of 250 apartments by the same leaseholder who has the marina lease now – and the potential lease of the Hammerhead. We must stand up against this madness.

So what can you do? Make your views felt, be informed – we will be having meetings (look for the notices).