Land purchase doubles size of Kerikeri park

New Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board member Rachel Smith opens Lavender's Land, doubling the size of dog-friendly Roland's Wood on Kerikeri Inlet Rd. Photo / Peter de Graaf

A "pipe dream" has become reality for a Kerikeri community group which managed to double the size of a popular park by buying a 5ha block of land slated for development.

Roland's Wood, on Kerikeri Inlet Rd, is a 4.5ha English-style woodland left to the people and dogs of Kerikeri in 2001 by its late owner, Roland Sansom.

Mr Sansom left the rest of his land, another 5.5ha, to his sister Lavender. When she died and her land went on the market earlier this year, a group called the Friends of Roland's Wood saw a one-off chance to expand the park.

Chairman Simon Upperton said as recently as a year ago the idea of returning Roland's Wood to its original 10ha was a pipe dream. When the opportunity presented itself the group had only six months to raise $600,000, or watch as "Lavender's Land" was subdivided and sold off. The land has an existing consent for 14 sections.

At the official opening on December 9, the day the sale was finalised, Mr Upperton told a group of about 20 people the Friends had managed to buy the property through a combination of fundraising, bank and private loans.

The group was now "riddled with debt" but had a plan to pay the money back within two years. As a last resort the group could carve off and sell some sections.

In the worst case the group would have to give up 20-30 per cent of the land but access from Heron Hill would be retained, Mr Upperton said.

So far $84,000 had been raised - including a $30,000 grant from the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board - while the Far North District Council had put up a guarantee for a $186,000 bank loan. It was an unusual arrangement and the ASB had to "move internal mountains" to make it happen, Mr Upperton said. Another $250,000 had been loaned privately.

The purchase was only the start of a 10-year project and the group was looking for community input as it made plans for the new land. The wishlist so far includes improved access and parking, native bush walks and a children's playground.

Mr Upperton said few park users realised a quarter of the current woodland was actually on Lavender's Land and would have been lost if the extra land had not been bought.

John Horrell, who was named New Zealand Gardener of the Year in 2013 for his work in Roland's Wood along with fellow Rotarian John Graham, said acquiring Lavender's Land would in the long run be the Friends' greatest legacy.

"We're really just the custodians, clearing off the rough edges and carrying on Roland Sansom's dream," he said.

Lavender's Land was officially opened by Rachel Smith, the newest and youngest member of the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. Mayor John Carter was to have officiated but was tied up with fallout from the Far North-wide power cut the previous day.