“As part of this work, we will engage with community and key stakeholders to review both the golfing and wider recreation needs of the North Shore,” Mansell said.
“This will inform how we develop this space into a vibrant recreation area for the community to enjoy and there will be time to transition the golf club members to other facilities in the community as required.
“It’s really important that we get the balance right and we can only do that by working with the Wairau community.”
Club spokesman Stephen Dowd said lease renewal negotiations were put on hold by the council recently, before plans for the new proposal were released.
A public meeting about the proposal will be held at Takapuna Golf Course on Saturday March 8 from 2pm-4pm, during which people can provide feedback.
“What we know from international best practice in this space is that courses around the world are incorporating the latest flood mitigation mechanisms into their design,” Dowd said.
“The proposal in its current form does not address any alternative design options where additional water catchment can be integrated into the existing layout.
“The council is looking to capture around 550,000 litres of water during an intense weather event.”
Dowd believed the course could already hold a significant proportion of that, and that there was scope to increase it by adding a series of smaller wetlands rather than creating one large reservoir.
“In this way we can preserve this national asset and offer additional flood protection to residents and businesses in the area.
“We want to continue to provide an entry-level golf facility where people are under no pressure. We have been and are an essential part of golf in Auckland and New Zealand for generations of Kiwis.”
The proposal, part of council’s Making Space for Water programme, is co-funded with the Government. It follows three previous projects approved to improve flood resilience in areas hit hard by the Auckland Anniversary floods in 2023; two in Māngere and the other in Rānui, Henderson.
The proposal comes after Wairau Valley was badly affected during the 2023 floods, including two deaths in the area.
Mansell said “a comprehensive range of interventions” were considered, with one of the proposed options involving the golf course.
“This area is proposed as the most effective short-term solution to reduce flooding in the Wairau catchment and essential for enabling future flood mitigation in Nile Rd and the Wairau Valley commercial area. Without it, later stages of works that are planned would not be feasible.
“Most importantly, the redevelopment of the golf course would reduce the risk of flooding across 10ha of residential properties as well as road flooding to Nile Rd, Waterloo Rd and Alma Rd.
“While we acknowledge that repurposing the park will impact its users, council is facing difficult challenges brought on by extreme weather and increased flooding. We’re working to reduce flood risk for homes, schools and businesses, protect major infrastructure like roads, power and water substations as well as balancing land use and recreational needs.”
Mansell said addressing the extensive flood issues in the area would require a phased approach, and would require collaboration with a variety of funders and members of the community.
“By restoring the wetland in this area and reshaping the flow paths to better integrate nature into flood management, the surrounding homes and neighbourhoods will be better protected in future heavy rain events.
“Combined with the works in other areas like Tōtara Vale and Nile Rd, these will form a blue-green network, making more space for water to flow through the Wairau Valley catchment.
“These projects will not only mitigate future flooding risks but also deliver benefits such as improved green spaces, enhanced biodiversity, and continue to build on the strong community connections with their neighbourhoods which already exist.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
