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Promoters of an 850-home development near an unspoiled Northland beach say their latest plans will protect the area's ecology and give public access.
But opponents still have serious concerns about the impact of the plans of Te Arai Coastal Lands, a joint venture of Maori-owned Renaissance Group and Queenstown-based developer New Zealand Land Trust.
Last week, Rodney District Council accepted the joint venture's modified request for a plan change and a variation to the district's major planning documents.
The request aims to have a special zone for 616ha of pine forest at Te Arai beach, south of Mangawhai Harbour, to build a resort settlement.
The application has to go out for public consultation in four months.
Renaissance chairman Sir Graham Latimer said the site was bought by Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust from the Government as part of its Treaty of Waitangi settlement in 2002. Renaissance is the trust's commercial arm.
Sir Graham said the development would allow 6500 beneficiaries of the Kaipara sub-tribe to enjoy the returns and give the wider community the benefits from access to a unique east coast beach.
He said significant foreshore management plans would "ensure the prosperity and the wellbeing of the natural ecology."
It would also create new access points to the beach as well as to the forest for biking and horse riding.
New Zealand Land Trust director John Darby said the plan was to use the forest as is and let only 5 per cent of the land be occupied by buildings.
The joint venture had talked about 1400 homes but the project was redesigned taking into account the comments by the public.
Main public concerns included the level of development proposed, the impact of increased use of the beach and the effect on the Department of Conservation's wildlife areas.
Council officers noted that Te Arai is the only entirely undeveloped large ocean beach on the east coast of the region.
It is separated from Pakiri Beach to the south by Te Arai Point.
The applicant's report says the Mangawahi-Te Arai area has up to half of the total New Zealand population of fairy tern (up to four pairs). The shore bird breeds, feeds and flocks in the area.
More than 1 per cent of the total population of the northern New Zealand dotterel is also present.
Mr Darby said the forest will not be impacted and that there won't be houses on the beachfront and consultants have recommended banning cats and keeping dogs and people away from nesting areas to protect birds.
But Department of Conservation spokesman Warwick Murray said the department was not satisfied with what was proposed to ensure the habitat is protected.
Te Arai Preservation Society chairman Mark Walker said the application would be opposed.
"It goes against all the planning policies and it will be devastating for the fairy tern.
"We hope the public will come forth to submit against the proposals. Certainly, nothing we've seen allays our fears that we are going to lose the fairy tern if they build down there."
Te Arai Beach
* Proposed: 650 forest homes and a 200-unit village resort, golf course, hall, shops, 75 per cent public areas.
* Located: in a 5.3km-long pine forest on dunes fronting Te Arai Beach, south of Mangawhai harbour and north of Pakiri Beach.
* Objection: Major breeding site for critically endangered fairy tern.
