Boaties split on Westhaven Marina

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Auckland yachties have fallen out over a bid by the influential Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron to buy Westhaven Marina.

A group of senior club sailors and marina users say a successful squadron bid will spark apartment developments and curbs on public access to the popular area.

Instead, the group is pushing for a scheme where Ports of Auckland's majority owner, Infrastructure Auckland, puts the marina into a trust and returns it to public ownership.

Three leading advocates for the plan - Ron Copeland, Jake Ryan and Fred Collie - have won the backing of North Shore City councillors, who see Westhaven as a regional public asset.

But squadron commodore Bill Endean says it has no plans for apartments. The squadron was concentrating on a bid to retain local ownership of the marina.

Mr Copeland, a former commodore of the Ponsonby Cruising Club, said the squadron's buy-out bid did not have the blessing of the other three clubs based at Westhaven and all the 1400 marina users.

It seemed to be well placed in the running for the sale of the marina by international tender. But there was a danger that an area zoned for parks could be spoiled by commercial development.

Mr Copeland said it would be fair to all if Westhaven were valued and 20 per cent of that value paid to the ports company's 5500 shareholders as a share dividend.

Infrastructure Auckland should then put Westhaven into a trust for the people of Auckland. Profits could then go on regional infrastructure.

The payment of the 20 per cent dividend should come from within marina assets such as the sale of the 600 marinas owned by the ports company or the sale to the yacht clubs of the land that they pay ground leases to occupy, or by way of public bonds.

Mr Copeland said it made poor business sense to sell the marina for a one-off payment. It was worth up to $60 million, but this amount would soon be swallowed up by Auckland's infrastructure needs, and a public recreational asset would be lost.

Mr Endean said the idea was untenable because it did not achieve Infrastructure Auckland's aim of raising money through the marina sale.

The squadron had worked for months on its bid. Next week it would circulate to clubs and the marina users group proposed deeds for ownership by a charitable trust and management on commercial lines.

Trust profits would support Hauraki Gulf conservation and sailing education.

Infrastructure Auckland has said any decision to sell the marina rests with the ports company, of which it owns 80 per cent.

Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/marine