Tua land now park for people

David Tua on the land he has sold to the Auckland Regional Council. Picture / Greg Bowker

The multimillion beachfront property at the centre of a struggle between David Tua and his former managers is to become Auckland's newest regional park.

The boxer, who had a shot at the world title in 2000, yesterday congratulated the Auckland Regional Council for closing a $10.25 million deal to buy the 51ha of prime Pakiri land.

"Now it's here for everyone to enjoy," he said.

"Somehow it's worked out for the best.

"This place will always be part of me but I am here to celebrate today."

The fighter's management company Tuaman Inc paid $7.55 million in 2001 for the property. Proceeds of its sale will go into trust until his long-running legal battle with former boxer and manager Kevin Barry and former manager Martin Pugh is resolved.

The land borders a 1km-long stretch of white sandy beach with rolling surf and a backdrop of pohutukawa groves and sand-dunes. It includes a pa site and wetland.

With the 843ha Kaipara Harbour farm gifted in October by Pierre and Jacqueline Chatelanat, more than 1000ha of parkland has been added to the regional park network this year.

ARC parks and heritage committee chairwoman Sandra Coney said this latest purchase, on top of the $5.4 million for a 247ha block at Kaipara's South Head in October and the $15 million paid for Waitawa Regional Park on Auckland's eastern coast near Kawakawa Bay late last year, would leave the cupboard bare.

"Obviously it will be an additional cost we hadn't budgeted for but we have to seize opportunities that are there," she said.

The council, which imposed a rate for park acquisition in 2003, had a budget of around $10 million over two years but this latest buy had out-paced that.

"We are a little ahead but not wildly ahead," she said.

Twelve of 13 councillors voted in favour of the Pakiri buy with one abstention.

Ms Coney said South Head and Pakiri would both be open by Christmas but new roading, toilets and signage would have to wait.