Coastal land in kidnap drama bought for park

The Arrigato block (foreground) will become part of Auckland's 25th regional park after its purchase for $9 million by the ARC. Picture / Martin Sykes

Pakiri beachfront land at the centre of a bizarre kidnapping case and long-running court battles has been sold to Aucklanders for $9 million.

With the sale of adjoining land by boxer David Tua to the Auckland Regional Council for $10.25 million, the bill to ratepayers for parkland this month is almost $20 million.

The "Arrigato" block, 126ha of spectacular coastal land at the southeast end of Pakiri Beach, will be added to the "Tuaman" property of 51ha.

The new regional park will be Auckland's 25th.

Property developer Richard Kroon and business partner Kim Spencer bought Arrigato in 2000 but in August this year 52-year-old Mr Kroon was charged with kidnapping Mr Spencer while he was showing a potential buyer the Arrigato land.

Mr Kroon has yet to enter a plea.

Both men's companies are in receivership with estimated debts of more than $14 million.

The Tua land was also at the centre of legal action and the money paid for it will go into trust until the case between the boxer and his former managers is resolved.

The Arrigato land has been the subject of controversy for more than a decade.

Former owner Ian Gillespie went through a long court battle to get permission to subdivide it into 16 blocks.

The ARC appealed, but in the midst of court proceedings Mr Gillespie sold the land to Mr Kroon and Mr Spencer.

The pair were facing fresh court action by Rodney District Council for not abiding by environmental conditions imposed on the subdivision.

ARC parks and heritage committee chairwoman Sandra Coney said the land would make an impressive park an hour's drive north of Auckland. It adjoined Goat Island Reserve, a marine reserve and popular diving spot visited by thousands every summer.

"It made a lot of sense to secure the complete southern end so the wilderness feeling of Pakiri Beach is preserved for ever."

The purchase would be financed through a 50-year loan and would add 0.7 per cent to regional ratepayers' bills next year.