Low wall has neighbours' relationship on rocks

This rockery prevents traffic driving all the way through an unformed road. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Whangarei District Council is sitting on the fence while two Onerahi neighbours wage a minor war over a rock wall cutting an informal access road in half.

The blockage is on road reserve parallel to Church St and used as a right of way to houses set back from the road front. In the past, it could be driven the full length, giving residents two entry and exit points.

Now a low rock wall cuts it in half, but does not block access to any properties. Two neighbours are at loggerheads since one of them built the wall from their boundary across two-thirds of the driveway's width, blocking it from through traffic other than pedestrians or cycles.

Next-door neighbours Geert and Sue Ten Boom say it reduces off-street parking formerly available and prevents them driving their boat the easier route out on to the road.

Mr Ten Boom described the obstacle as "rocks and boulders chucked in the middle of a paper road, creating a hazard". He also said it was a safety hazard, less than a metre from a water hydrant.

He is disappointed the council has not ordered his neighbours, Elke and Bernd Fengler, to remove the rocks. He says it is impossible to believe the council has been "in negotiation" about the wall's removal for a year.

While the council's policy states there should be nothing obstructing public passage along road berms, in this case all properties still have access.

Roading manager Jeffrey Devine says the land is road reserve, not a formed or "paper" road.

"A number of people use it to get to and from their properties. Some approach it from one end and some from the other end. It is not a through-road and we maintain it only enough to keep the current access open," he said. "At this stage, given that everyone does have access to their properties, we don't see any need for any action."

He saw no benefit in spending other ratepayers' money on the matter.

The Fenglers were not available for comment about the rock wall.