Motuapo building faces a challenge

A bach on one of the few privately-owned islands in the Bay of Islands is in for a major makeover.

But a Department of Conservation official says rules on any changes being made to structures in the area are tight.

Millionaire New Zealand developer Peter Cooper sought Overseas Investment Office permission in September to sell Motuapo Island to MLP LLC, an entity in which he holds a 60 per cent stake.

The remaining shares are divided equally between American and British associates: US resident Brian Stebbins, who developed Auckland property in the 1980s, the Booth Family Trust, Louis Simpson of the US and Gilbert LeVasseur of Britain.

Cooper previously owned the island outright. An open-plan two-bedroom bach built of tanalised plywood and Douglas fir perches near the island's hilltop, just 35m above sea level.

Terry Conaghan, an officer for the Department of Conservation's Northland region, said it was rare for islands in the area to sell.

Although he was not familiar with Motuapo, he said resource consent was needed before any structures could be built on the few private islands in the area.

Motukiekie Island and Moturoa Island were the two largest privately-owned islands in the Bay of Islands.

Germany's Vladi Private Islands marketing network lists Motuapo on its global network as "one of the most unique properties in New Zealand".

The island's tenure was described as being highly unusual in that it was one of the few freehold single-title islands in the area.

Many of the islands are reserves controlled by DoC. Only a handful are inhabited.