Sections stealing golf course land: resident

By ANNE GIBSON

The golf course at Matarangi on the Coromandel is set in one of the most spectacular sites, straddling a block of land bounded by a beachfront with white sands and a river outlet.

But the course is at the centre of a row between some residents and the developer, and one local says expansion of the township is creating problems.

James Scott, who owns a property on Matarangi Drive, where expansion is under way, is upset about developer Mark Hotchin, of Hanover Group and Axis Properties, saying this month that $8 million worth of property would be sold at the resort in the financial year to June 30.

Hotchin, head of Axis, which owns undeveloped parts of the resort, said this would set a record. Further sales were planned and residents who had been worried about development had either moved elsewhere or shelved their opposition, he said.

Matarangi has about 1000 sections, but Axis plans to expand this to between 1600 and 1700.

Scott said Hotchin's statements about sales at the resort were "purely promotional".

"Despite his bland dismissal, concerns about water supply and flooding remain valid.

"The present owners are but the latest in a succession of developers intent on maximising profit from a diminishing land bank," said Scott.

Matarangi's owners have included developers Ken Woodhead and Warrick Keddle, Rothmans, Magnum/DB, a group of South Island investors and now Axis.

Residents said in 2000 that they opposed Axis' plans for more houses at the resort, citing a seasonal shortage of fresh water, sewage overload, flooding issues and a threat to bird and sea life on the peninsula.

Scott was particularly critical of moves by Axis to develop properties around the golf course. Axis is selling sections in The Links for between $80,500 and $165,000 and Hotchin said last week that sales were going well.

But Scott said The Links sections were robbing land from the course.

"The golf course - the jewel in the crown - was originally promoted as a Bob Charles-designed championship course. It has been gradually modified such that the Bob Charles branding has been withdrawn," he said.

"Because the practice fairway is being eliminated for more housing, the course no longer qualifies as a championship course."

Hotchin confirmed that the Bob Charles branding had been withdrawn "about two years ago" because of "a prohibitive" amount of money required when the second nine holes were built, but he was reluctant to say exactly how much was sought to keep the name.

"It was substantially more than what had been agreed to previously and it's never been fully resolved."

Hotchin also confirmed changes to the practice fairway, which he said had been alongside the first hole but would be moved about 200m away to allow for sections to be sold.

"That area was always designed to have development. We've been through all this two years ago and, yes, we are going to put a practice fairway just past the end of The Pines," Hotchin said, referring to another part of the township.

Another resident and keen golfer, Barry Jones, is also worried about development encroaching on the golf course. He lives at Matarangi Manor, a six-bedroom hotel he is marketing to overseas golfers to bring them to the resort.

Although the residents' association has been disbanded, Jones said it would be revived soon and hoped to begin discussions with the developers.

"The trouble is there's a real lack of communication. We don't mind development as such, but it's the changes to the original concepts, which have altered over time and even from year to year, so that residents don't know what's going on," said Jones, who plays on the course up to three times a week.

Hotchin said the present development had been planned for many years.

Critics were being selfish wanting to keep the resort as it is. "It's just simple greed."

He dismissed concerns about fresh water and sewage treatment at Matarangi, saying the Thames Coromandel District Council was installing a new water treatment plant, "which we are helping to pay for, contributing between $400,000 and $500,000."

The peninsula had been zoned to allow further expansion, Hotchin said.

Axis had been through water and flooding issues three years ago.

"The council went to the Environment Court - it's their plans, not ours.

"It's been zoned by the council and we want to build and people are saying they don't think the council should have done it that way, even though it was done back in 1978," Hotchin said, referring to the original plans for the area.

He planned to speak to Scott and would "sue him from here to eternity" if necessary.

"It costs us a lot of time and these people are just naive."

Matarangi was zoned for 2000 sections, he said, but Axis was taking a conservative view in expanding the resort to only 1600 to 1700.

"I took huge risks there over the last three years.

"We are still developing the golf course, which is privately owned. We are under no obligation to turn it into an 18-hole course and now we need to sell sections to get the payback."

Hotchin said residents could not expect Axis to provide expensive "toys" such as the golf course and infrastructure contribution, and then say no one else should use them.