Members of Mau Whenua remain on land at Shelly Bay in Wellington a week after they were given seven days to vacate.
The $500 million development planned there, featuring 350 new homes, has been bogged down in legal challenges and disputes since its conception.
It's been occupied by Mau Whenua for a year. The group claims the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust went against the will of its own people when it sold its land for development and that the deal was done in secret.
But last week Shelly Bay Ltd served the occupants with a notice to leave the site, which includes several earthquake-prone and condemned buildings.
Early this morning the camp was quiet, with one person stationed outside the entrance.
Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust chairman Holden Hohaia has said kaumatua, trustees and executive leaders were united on the project that will deliver significant benefits for current and future descendants of Te Ātiawa in Wellington.
"It is for this reason that we have asked the protesters at Shelly Bay to end their occupation so we can take back our whenua."
Mau Whenua member Catherine Love said it was all "one big con".
"Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust doesn't own any land at Marukaikuru, so the notices they served were just a nonsense."
An artist's impression of the proposed development of Shelly Bay , viewed from the North car park. Image / Supplied
Love said an event was being held later today as part of a month's long remembrance of Parihaka.
"We're having guests coming later today, visitors, under the Covid restrictions, with a strict Covid sign-in and limit on numbers."
The event was also an acknowledgment of the fact Mau Whenua has now occupied land at Shelly Bay for one year, Love said.
She said as far as she was concerned, it was business as usual and the occupation would continue.
"We won't be going anywhere."
A police spokesperson said police were aware of the notice and continue to engage with the relevant parties.
Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust chief executive Lee Hunter said they would continue with plans to remove condemned, earthquake-prone, and asbestos contaminated buildings at Shelly Bay, while allowing the occupiers the time to comply with the notice.
"We've asked them politely to move on as nice as we can and as respectfully as we can.
"We were hoping that they would see that as an opportunity to have a think and move on."
Hunter said the notice was a "heads up" to ask occupiers to move on within seven days, rather than an eviction notice.
Land at Shelly Bay was sold separately in parcels to developer Ian Cassels, it's alleged by Mau Whenua, as a way around the deal being classified as a major transaction.
The trust has maintained the sale did not constitute a major transaction nor were they taken advantage of by developers.
Three parcels of land were sold for $2 million in 2017, a fraction of the original cost. A fourth parcel was later sold for $10 million.
Hohaia has said through a series of transactions over the years, the trust has acquired an interest in Shelly Bay Taikuru JV that will deliver significant benefits for uri.
