Environmental ruling a huge setback for Ruakaka marina, canal development

By BRIDGET CARTER

Plans for a multimillion-dollar canal development south of Whangarei, with cafes, bars and houses up to four-storeys, have been dealt a body-blow.

A hearing committee decided to advise the Minister of Conservation to decline permission for the project at Ruakaka because dredging a 600m channel would be too damaging to the environment.

The decision was released yesterday following a July hearing on the 130ha housing and marina venture.

Northland Regional Council consents manager Dave Roke said the commissioners declined more than 20 resource-consent requests because other parts of the project could not proceed without the channel.

But one consent, needed from the Whangarei District Council for the high-density housing and commercial area, was granted.

The proposal is from Marsden Cove, a joint venture between Hopper Developments, which developed waterway subdivisions at Pauanui and Whitianga, and Northland Port Corporation.

Its plans were for a 250-berth marina, 700 housing sections, cafes, bars and a 25m-wide access channel from the Whangarei Harbour.

Up to 400 houses would have had canal frontages.

Leigh Hopper, the general manager of Hopper Developments, said he was surprised and disappointed by the hearing decision.

About 500 people had expressed interest in the development, which could have been started next year.

The canal was what made it desirable, he said.

Now the only way it could probably go ahead was through a costly and time-consuming appeal to the Environment Court.

"I can't even say it is an option at this point without getting legal advice."