Update: 20 March 2024
Late in 2023, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board was delegated responsibility to find a local solution to resolve the closed walkway through the bottom of the property at 9 Kitchener Road on the Milford-Takapuna coastal track. In December 2023, the Local Board received a final conditional offer to purchase the property.
The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, on behalf of Auckland Council, acknowledge the long negotiations between the Firth family at 9 Kitchener Road, Takapuna and the council that date back well over a decade. The Local Board has recently worked with the Firth Estate to negotiate a potential purchase of the property.
Toni Van Tonder, chair of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, reflects on the Board’s disappointment at not reaching the outcome they hoped to achieve.
"The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board is incredibly disappointed that we’ve not been able to meet the final conditional offer to purchase 9 Kitchener Road. We left no stone unturned in our pursuit to find a funding source to meet the offer from the Firth Estate, however we are limited in what we can do. In a final attempt to secure public access, we have asked staff to continue to work with the beneficiaries of the property to see if we can secure an easement,” says Ms Van Tonder.
Having met with representatives of the Firth Estate, the Local Board has reconsidered the proposed sale terms for 9 Kitchener Road, the potential and available funding, the significance of the property to the Takapuna-to-Milford informal coastal route, and its associated heritage values.
After considering all these factors, the local board was unable to identify an existing budget or alternative funding options to accommodate the cost and conditional requirements of the terms. Therefore the Local Board declined the Firth Estate's non-negotiable option to acquire the property and accepts that it will be offered to the open market.
The Local Board remains open to negotiating a public access easement on the property title, at the further discretion of the Firth Estate.
The minutes and resolutions of the 19 March Devonport-Takapuna Local Board meeting are here.
The full article is here:
https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2023/09/takapuna-to-milford-coastal-walk/
