KEY POINTS:
Plans to create an international tourist destination at Gulf Harbour, north of Auckland, include building a five-star luxury resort with 200 rooms and 45 villas.
Rodney District Council is considering a resource consent application for the first stage of the project on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.
The aim is providing first-class service and accommodation associated with a health spa and international golf course.
Gulf Harbour has the 18-hole golf course which hosted the 1998 World Cup and the marina has the nearest ferry wharf to the Tiritiri Matangi Island bird sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf.
The applicant for resort consent is GHCC Developments - a company owned by Gulf Harbour Country Club managing director and owner Mark Bryers. He is also managing director of property specialist Blue Chip Financial Solutions.
He declined to comment to the Herald yesterday, saying it would be inappropriate to do so before obtaining council approval for the planning applications.
The council asked independent planning commissioners to consider the resource consent application, as well as a comprehensive development plan which must be approved ahead of any resource consent for the resort, residential villas and an underground carpark.
Later project stages include upgrading of the two-storey country club's carpark and the upgrade and expansion of the club's facilities.
Redevelopment of the golf course has started, but this is outside the country club village precinct where a grassed area about 300m from the shore is earmarked for development.
The application says 200 guest rooms and the two- and three-storey villas will have bar and restaurant, conference facilities for 200 delegates, underground parking for 350 cars and extensive landscaping and gardens.
About 65 staff would run the resort.
A shuttle service is proposed to transport guests arriving at Auckland Airport to the ferry terminal in Downtown Auckland and then from the Gulf Harbour Marina to the resort.
