"The owners' hope is still that it will become a public reserve," he said.
The owners' property extended into the adjacent Whangapoua catchment, which was already developed, and an application for limited housing there was going ahead, he said.
The owners last year offered to sell the land to the Crown and give back half the proceeds.
The society's executive director, Gary Taylor, said the proposal fell through this year when the land's valuation failed to meet the owners' expectations.
Another proposal was sent to the owners two months ago.
"There's been no progress at all, unfortunately," Mr Taylor said.
He did not expect a conservation plan to come together before the owners built on the land adjacent to the New Chum catchment.
"If that's what happens, it still leaves the future of New Chum up in the air, but at least it won't be subjected to development in the meantime."
But Preserve New Chum for Everyone spokeswoman Linda Cholmondeley Smith said the entire property needed to be looked at together.
Stakeholders in the preservation of the beach had been invited to meet, share information and consolidate efforts, she said.
Among those were representatives from the Waikato Regional Council, QEII Trust, DoC, local iwi and the Green, National and Labour parties, whom Ms Cholmondeley Smith said had expressed a willingness to work across party lines to ensure New Chum Beach was preserved.
"Unanimity and consensus were reached with a desire to preserve New Chum-Wainuiototo and to work together to bring an equitable solution for all parties," she said.
Developers Coastal Land Trust Holdings withdrew a proposal presented to Government late last year. Currently, no proposals were lodged with the Government, she said.
"The issues of preservation regarding New Chum are not settled and we have been told that a new proposal is being mooted for a 12 lot subdivision in the Whangapoua Beach catchment area by Coastal Land Trust Holdings Ltd and we look forward to more information on this new proposal."
Preserve New Chum for Everyone was against any development of the Wainuiototo-New Chum catchment area, about 365ha, Ms Cholmondeley Smith said.
All proposed applications needed to be heard together so the overall environmental impact could be weighed in full, she said.
That included a proposed bridge into the area, which was a significant part of any development and needed to be publicly notified and considered with any proposed development.
"It is imperative that the whole New Chum catchment be ring-fenced until such time as an overall outcome for the entire land is negotiated and finalised."
