Plans for a large-scale restaurant at Long Bay Regional Park have halted indefinitely out of respect for the cultural significance of the beachfront site and the lack of a suitable alternative location.
Regional Parks Manager Richard Hollier says the council, working together with mana whenua, the existing restaurant licensee and Heritage New Zealand, has come to a decision not to progress development of a restaurant any further.
“Since the first discovery of koiwi (historic human remains) on the restaurant redevelopment site in July 2013, we have followed the rules for managing heritage discoveries set down by Heritage New Zealand (and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage) and been guided by iwi with tribal ties to the parkland.
“A closer working relationship with mana whenua has also emerged out of this situation. We continue to be guided by our iwi representatives on finalising the most appropriate final resting place for the koiwi that were unearthed during the construction works and on the best way to restore the discovery site.
“I would also like to acknowledge the patience and understanding of the existing restaurant licensee. This situation has caused uncertainty yet they have worked with us with good grace,” says Mr Hollier.
A new large-scale restaurant will not be planned for Long Bay Regional Park again, following the general understanding that the foreshore area is a burial site and was potentially a site of occupation and perhaps conflict in the past. Other parts of the park are not suitable for a restaurant development due to terrain, access or other heritage areas.
Plans for the discovery site will be finalised in the coming months.
A kiosk or cafe-style food service will remain at the park, which also offers self-catering picnic sites, barbecue areas, Auckland’s largest all-access children’s playground, walking tracks, a historic homestead and one of the east coast’s most popular white sandy beaches.
Future of Long Bay restaurant decided
