The distinctive environment of the Okura area is now protected from future urbanisation following the proposed withdrawal of a High Court appeal that sought major development in the area.
Developers Todd Property Group have decided to withdraw their appeal against an Environment Court ruling from June 2018 turning down their proposal which would have allowed for up to 1,900 dwellings close to the Okura Estuary and Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve.
Councillor Chris Darby, Auckland Council’s Planning Committee chair, says the decision not to continue the High Court appeal provides certainty for the future of the area.
“The Environment Court’s ruling, that the land around Okura should remain rural, stays in place. This helps preserve the Okura Estuary and Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve for future generations. It also means that this important part of the Okura catchment, which discharges into the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve, will not be urbanised.
“Protecting our unique natural environment and ensuring that we retain breathing space beyond the city limits for people and nature is what makes our city one of the world’s most attractive.
“This is momentous result for the local community and for groups like the Long Bay-Okura Great Park Society, who have battled tenaciously for decades to protect the Okura area. I also acknowledge Todd Property for making a decision that will be very significant for preserving a special part of Auckland for all people to enjoy in the years to come.”
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Chair Julia Parfitt also welcomes the developer’s decision to withdraw the appeal, “While we need to meet the needs of our growing region it cannot come at the cost of our environment, which also needs protecting for future generations.”
When Auckland Council made its decisions on the Auckland Unitary Plan, it retained the land around Okura village as rural and protected the Okura Estuary and the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve as areas significant to Auckland’s natural environment.
Okura Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of Todd Property Group, subsequently appealed to the Environment Court seeking that land east of Okura Village should be urbanised. The Environment Court ruled in June 2018 to uphold the council’s decision that the area should not be urbanised. Todd Property subsequently appealed to the High Court.
The Auckland Unitary Plan already provides for around 15,000ha of land over the next 30 years for urbanisation in the form of future urban areas outside of the city’s urban area. This has the potential to accommodate approximately 137,000 dwellings providing an ongoing supply of development ready land sequenced with the availability of the core infrastructure required to support future development.
History of planning at Okura
- In 1996 the Environment Court considered the location of the Metropolitan Urban Limit (MUL) in this area and stated that the MUL should follow the catchment boundary between Long Bay and Okura Catchments (i.e. the route of Vaughans Road), meaning that south of this ridgeline (Long Bay) would be treated as urban and north of this (Okura) would be rural. This outcome was upheld on appeal to the High Court in 1997.
- The council in its Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan retained the land as rural, in line with the previous Environment Court decision.
- The Auckland Unitary Plan Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) recommended to council that land to the east of Okura village could be urbanised, also recommending that ‘live’ urban zonings (mostly Mixed Housing Suburban) and a precinct be applied to the land.
- In August 2016 this IHP recommendation was unanimously rejected by the council’s Planning Committee.
- This decision of council was appealed to the Environment Court by the majority land owner Okura Holdings Limited, as subsidiary of Todd Property Group.
- The Environment Court dismissed the appeal. This means the land around Okura village should remain rural.
- Okura Holdings Limited, filed a notice to appeal the Environment Court’s decision with the High Court in June 2018.
- Okura Holding Limited has recently advised the council they are withdrawing their appeal to the High Court.
