Split over Sandspit

Sandspit's 200 residents live on a bush-covered hillside above a picturesque harbour. But they say their serenity is threatened. Sophie Bond finds out why.
Don Burrell is supposed to be retired. Eleven years ago he and his wife, Jane, chose to live at Sandspit, east of Warkworth, just under an hour's drive from downtown Auckland. They chose it for its peaceful and beautiful surroundings. But life hasn't been quite as sedate lately as they'd like.
"If we were working we wouldn't have time for this, would we?" says Mr Burrell with a flourish towards a table blanketed in piles of paper - court documents, drawings, environmental reports and more.
From their deck, the Burrells can see the spot where the Sandspit Yacht Club Marina Society wants to build a 131-berth marina. The proposal involves dredging 100,000sq m of sediment to build a structure with two breakwaters and four marina piers, in front of the club's property. Resource consent was initially approved by the Auckland Regional Council but the Rodney District Council's independent commissioners declined it (see box). Now the marina society is appealing against the decision in the Environment Court.
Mr Burrell is a member of Save Our Sandspit Incorporated, a group formed in response to the marina society's plans. He is worried the coastal environment will be forever altered by a marina. "Sandspit might not exist anymore," he says. "Each one of us has got something we'll lose, but it's what it will do to the whole community that's really important."
Mrs Burrell looks towards the dozen yachts bobbing on the high tide. "We love it as it is and we don't want it to change. It's just sickening to think of a marina there."
Other members have shared their concerns with the Burrells. Sue Brodziak fears extra traffic on an already congested road will make the holiday periods unbearable, and dredging will reduce the habitat for seabirds. "In a nutshell, while there might be a benefit for the boat owners, there will be none to the community."
Earlier this year, Save Our Sandspit members submitted in opposition to the resource consent application and are now preparing a submission for the Environment Court.
The members believe the majority of Sandspit's 200 permanent residents oppose the development. "There are a powerful few who intend to have boats in the marina and want it to go ahead," says Mr Burrell. The Burrells belong to the Sandspit Yacht Club and say, of the 450 full members, about 50 live locally and fewer than 20 of those want berths at the marina.
Sandspit Yacht Club Marina Society member and club commodore Phil Brooker says the society has already spent $1.2 million on the project and "it's a case of do it yourself because no one else is going to provide this infrastructure".
He says yacht club members would get first choice to berth in the new marina. The marina society is meeting Auckland Council to discuss reasons the consent was declined. Mr Brooker says he's unsure at this stage if the case will go to mediation or be heard in the Environment Court.
Breached berth
In July 2010, Rodney District Council's independent commissioners declined consents for  the construction of a marina at Sandspit Rd and work at the dredging disposal site.
The commissioners said negative effects on the environment were likely because of increased traffic, disturbance from construction and more boats refuelling.