Banks wants housing near marina

By BERNARD ORSMAN and WAYNE THOMPSON

Prime waterfront land at Westhaven Marina will require some residential and commercial development if it is to stay in public ownership, says Auckland City Mayor John Banks.

Plans by Ports of Auckland to sell Westhaven will be a hot topic at a meeting of Greater Auckland mayors today and various views will be aired on how to keep the property in public hands.

Auckland councils, the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron and private developers are queuing up to buy Westhaven, one of the largest managed marinas in the Southern Hemisphere, with berths for 1800 boats and iconic status in the City of Sails.

The ports company will call international tenders early next year for Westhaven and Hobson West Marinas, valued at between $40 million and $60 million. Chairman Neville Darrow has said Ports of Auckland will not necessarily accept the highest bid.

Yesterday, Mr Banks said it was essential that Westhaven was kept in public ownership but if the council were to afford the cost it would need some residential and commercial development to the west of the harbour bridge near Pt Erin and other areas. The marina berths would remain publicly owned and managed by a trust.

"My proposition is that we can structure this deal so that it is at no cost to the ratepayers of Greater Auckland over the medium to longer term ... I'm not going to see that land flogged off for commercial development that the city otherwise has no control over," Mr Banks said.

The idea of developing land near Pt Erin runs against a plan by the Western Bays Community Board in conjunction with Herne Bay resident and architect Richard Harris to develop a harbour bridge park in this area and create a key gateway into Auckland City on both sides of the harbour bridge.

A concept plan of the park was presented to the board on Wednesday but it still has to go before the council for approval and funding.

North Shore City has written to all Auckland councils expressing concern about the public loss of Westhaven and seeking support for the marina to be secured in regional public ownership in perpetuity.

Councillor Tony Holman said the marina was created by the former Auckland Harbour Board for the people of the region. "It's a community asset and should remain so."

Waitakere City councillors considered the request on Wednesday and decided to support regional ownership provided the marina was run along commercial lines and did not become a liability.

Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis is keen for Westhaven to be run along the same lines as the Half Bay Moon marina with the land vested in Auckland City Council and the marina run by a trust.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron commodore Bill Endean said the club committee had decided to lead a syndicate bid for Westhaven.

Members had been invited to invest in the venture. The marina would be run by a trust along commercial lines.

Mr Endean said the squadron bid would guarantee the interests of the other yachting clubs at Westhaven, boat users and public access.

Trust profits would go towards maritime education, training, conservation and the maintenance of navigational aids.

But other clubs at Westhaven - Ponsonby Cruising Club, Victoria Cruising Club and Richmond Yacht Club - are wary of the squadron's plans.

Jake Ray, a boatie and member of the Westhaven Action Committee, said a successful squadron bid could leave them vulnerable under the rule of an old rival.

The three clubs are meeting next week to discuss ways to keep Westhaven in public ownership.

One idea is for the ports company to hand over its 80 per cent public ownership in Westhaven to the people of Auckland and a way found to buy out the 20 per cent private holding.

Mr Banks last month favoured this option but has changed his mind.

The ports company is 80 per cent publicly owned by Infrastructure Auckland, which will use any dividend from the sale of Westhaven to fund transport and stormwater projects.