Developer wants Horowhenua District Council to take ownership of land for nominal $1

Ohau residents Terry and Carrol Jordan enjoying the winter sun at the Bishops Vineyard subdivision's village green, which the subdivision developer wants Horowhenua District Council to take ownership of.

A property development company wants Horowhenua District Council to take ownership of land in one of its developments for a nominal $1, as part of a strategy by the developer to sell slow-moving sections.

At Horowhenua District Council's meeting next week, councillors are due to consider a proposal to purchase a three-quarter acre block owned by the Bishops Vineyard Owners' Association in Ohau's Bishops Vineyard subdivision.

The block is the 'village green', a common grassed area with trees and stone area with trees and stone walls, surrounded on three sides by subdivision sections.

The association is in the process of winding up and needs to offload its assets.

The association is being wound up as it had been difficult selling subdivision sections with the covenants that were part of the association's compulsory membership, said Barry Clevely, the project manager for the subdivision's landowner.

Mr Clevely, who is also the owners' association chairman, said sales had picked up after potential purchasers were made aware the association was being wound up and covenants reduced.

"In the past 12 months, just about all the sections have sold," he said.

Mr Clevely said shutting down the association could not be completed until the land was sold.

The association, which under its rules can't sell assets at a profit, wants a nominal $1 for the land and wants it kept as open space to maintain the subdivision's ambience.

An HDC report to councillors, by customer and development enabler Melissa Hanson, said public open space is limited in the area and acquiring the land would provide an alternative open area for the public to enjoy. It would cost HDC $1750 annually to maintain.

It makes no mention of the developer or its reason for wanting to offload the land to HDC.

Mr Clevely said the purchase would be good for Horowhenua as it would provide more open space for the district and the village green was popular with tourists visiting the Ohau Wines vineyard that intertwines with the subdivision.

Mr Clevely is a part-owner of the vineyard as are members of the family behind the subdivision.

The Bishops Vineyard subdivision land owner is Te Moana Enterprises Ltd.

The listed shareholders of Te Moana Enterprises are members of the Mansell family, prominent in the Kapiti district, and well-known for the development of Paraparaumu's Coastland Shopping Centre by patriarch Bruce Mansell.

The subdivision, close to Ohau village and not far from SH1, is notable for its attractive landscaping and layout.

Kapiti survey firm Landlink won a New Zealand Institute of Surveyors gold award in 2010 for its work on the project.