KEY POINTS:
The Environment Court has amended some of North Shore City Council's conditions for housing development on the 360ha rural backdrop to the Long Bay Regional Park.
In a reserved decision after 23 days of hearings last year, the court allows - in part - the appeals of the Long Bay-Okura Great Park Society, the Auckland Regional Council and developer Landco.
Judge Jon Jackson says the ultimate issues are how much urban development is sustainable behind Long Bay and Grannies Bay within the city boundary and the form of that development.
He notes that the park on a peak summer day attracts up to 15,000 people.
The decision directs the council to consult with Landco and the other appellants on a draft structure plan.
This will state where houses can be built and at what density and what areas should be set aside for heritage and ecology reasons, as well as for protection of waterways and the adjoining marine reserve.
The council's earlier structure plan allowed for about 4000 people in 2500 households in houses and apartments around a village centre and green close to the sea.
Landco proposed a development on its 178ha which had 1000 more dwellings.
Judge Jackson says neither the proposals of council nor Landco fully achieve the objective of protecting the coastal environment.
He says both proposals would cause "adverse visual effects on the regional park and the Hauraki Gulf/Long Bay outstanding natural landscape unless further changes are made to the plans."
The court adds buffers to housing which reduces the number of residences allowable and confirms low density housing in an extended upper valley.
However the court finds it appropriate to have more dwellings in other places, for example the lower Awaruku slopes, as well as the increased height and density around the village centre and the end of Ashley Ave, and the north Vaughans living zone.
North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said last night he was pleased with the decision.
"It's upheld much of what the council was seeking for this area."
The decision sought housing on million-dollar sites to be set back so they would not dominate the park and would avoid heritage areas and some of the wetland just north of Torbay.
"The key element is that the court has ensured safeguards for the concerns of the public in many respects."
Mr Williams said although the council could not stop housing on private land, the judgment ensured there would be not too much housing and development would be environmentally sustainable. He said the court delivered "the greater public interest".
