Waiheke marina idea floated

Tony Mair says facilities and clubrooms would be floating, as at Orakei Marina in Okahu Bay.

Developer says no reclamation or dredging needed but local official has reservations.

A new 200-berth Waiheke Island marina and floating carpark are proposed at Kennedy Point, where a developer says no dredging or reclamation is needed.

Tony Mair of Kennedy Point Boatharbour will later today present his scheme to the Waiheke Local Board, but board chairman Paul Walden has expressed some reservations.

"Waiheke does not need a marina. Some boat owners will want it and some of these will be locals. It may be that a marina will be palatable to our community. Ultimately this will be determined through a resource consent process," Walden said.

"Any developer would be wise to take the learnings from the recent Matiatia decision," Walden said, citing the need for community benefits and referring to the 112-berth marina in Matiatia Bay, on the western side of the island, scuppered by the Environment Court late last year.

The proposed marina at Kennedy Point, Waiheke Island.

Waiheke Marinas had wanted to build it next to the existing ferry terminal, but Mair says he is taking a low-key approach for Kennedy Point, an ideal site next to the wharf that the Sealink car ferry uses.

"The plans have been developed to minimise the impact to the proposed site and to offer benefits to the Waiheke boating community," Mair said.

"A unique feature of the project is that it will not require any dredging to create a marina basin as the water is deep enough already. No regular maintenance dredging will be needed during the life of the marina due to the flushing benefits of the proposed breakwater design and the natural depths within the basin," Mair said.

A carpark structure will be built on floating concrete pontoons, and stormwater run-off will be managed through a treatment and filtration system, he said.

"The carpark structure is to be manufactured off-site and then towed into position to minimise effects of construction and avoid the need for any reclamation," Mair said.

"[It] will provide parking spaces for approximately 80 cars and will sit on the water lower than the existing and proposed breakwaters and the boats moored in the marina.

"The design also does not affect the intertidal zone as the floating structures will be at least 100m away from the foreshore, allowing existing water-based activities to continue without impact."

The rock for the breakwaters, marina piers and piles and concrete carpark pontoons will be brought in by barge to minimise noise and disruption, he says.

Mair said the marina office, storage, visitor facilities and proposed clubrooms will also be floating, a technique used at Orakei Marina in Okahu Bay.

Island plans

• 112-berth Matiatia marina was rejected.
• 200-berth Kennedy Point marina now proposed.
• Floating carparking pontoon for 80 vehicles.
• Developer goes to local board today.