Hopes for marine 'cluster' boosted

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Hopes for a $200 million marine industry "cluster" at the Hobsonville air base have been boosted by the Crown offering to sell 12ha of land that is surplus to Defence Force needs.

Last November, Housing New Zealand laid claim to most of the base for housing, including homes for people on low incomes.

This upset plans by Sovereign Yachts owner Bill Lloyd for a world-class marine industry park next to its 4ha property.

Under his proposal, about half of the base was needed for marine industry businesses, a deepwater marina for superyachts, waterfront housing, a ferry wharf and opening up the foreshore for shops and cafes.

Housing New Zealand says it needs only 32ha of land so far declared surplus by Defence. The Ministry of Education says it needs 8ha for a new secondary school, which means 12ha will be offered for sale to the original land owner, who sold Sovereign Yachts its 4ha property and gave the company an option to buy further land offered by the Crown.

A spokeswoman for the company said yesterday Mr Lloyd could not comment on whether he was exercising the option.

Sovereign's Hobsonville yard produced the 41m Sovereign Lady last February - just in time for it to be an official vessel in the America's Cup and a showpiece for its builders to visiting millionaire boat buyers.

The $27 million vessel's fibreglass composite hull was built at Sovereign's Yachts' yards in Canada but finishing and outfit-ting was done in New Zealand. Up to 90 people worked on the vessel over 17 months, including 60 Sovereign Yachts staff and 30 subcontractors' staff.

After the boat was finished the company laid off workers, citing lack of work.

Mr Lloyd said his plans to be building 45m craft with a workforce of 150 were hampered by inadequate launching facilities at Hobsonville and he was frustrated at land not being available for the marine park.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey said yesterday the local community would not be happy with state houses going on the land.

The council's vision was for mixed use development, with quality housing, open spaces and public access to the harbour, and a 30ha economic zone built around a marine cluster.

"It's not Plan A but its not a bad Plan B," said Mr Harvey.

The council will rezone the 12ha for marine industry purposes so it cannot be developed for housing. The council's property arm Waitakere Properties was involved with development and would ensure it was to a good standard as befitting one of the best sites in the country.

Mayor Harvey said the 12ha release left him "cautiously overjoyed" because the city council had been battling for its vision for two and a half years so far and there was more to go.

"America's Cup has come and gone and my dream of San Diego on the Waitemata has waned over what has been the bloody torture of the system and the process to establish a marine cluster in the South Pacific.

"But I feel we have been vindicated and we have had a bookful of willing and big participants who have been eyeing this site and Queensland as viable alternatives for building superyachts."

Mr Harvey has a Mayoral Taskforce which is trying to stem the loss to the local economy from the planned withdrawal of the Air Force from Hobsonville and Whenuapai air bases.

Its chairman, Bryan Mogridge, said the taskforce, Enterprise Waitakere board, and the Boating Industries Association had negotiated with Housing New Zealand for the release of the 12ha.