Auckland Council - plans for Okahu Bay hard stand

I received this email today:

The Landing Hardstand, Okahu Bay needs your help!

You may be aware that the Orakei Local Board has commissioned a survey to get feedback on their “options” for the future layout and operation of the Landing: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing

One of these options is to completely remove the hardstand, the other is to scale it down considerably and the third involves a small deduction of hardstand space.
This is particularly frustrating as the site went through a full public consultation process in 2013 (at considerable expense to the rate payer) that produced the Landing concept design. (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/local-boards/all-local-boards/orakei-local-board/Documents/the-landing-concept-plan.pdf), this concept was formally adopted by Council and stakeholders alike. It seems the pressures from the commercially run Hyundai Marine Sports Centre on the local board have resulted in a “refresh” of the concept plan that if two of the three concepts are ‘selected” it will result in the site being used for more storage of privately owned dinghies at the demise of the hardstand.

Whilst we obviously support all forms of marine sports and yachting, we believe that there are considerably better options for dinghy storage that could be implemented on site. For example using the internal storage facility within the new Hyundai Marine Sports Centre for vessel storage as it was originally intended not as an alcohol and food storage facility to assist its restaurant. As well as better rationale around what vessels are stored on site and who owns them (the original 2013 concept plan only allowed for club training boats to be stored on site, currently all the boats stored on site are privately owned not club owned).
Whilst this all seems like a bit of doom and gloom, we are choosing to look at it as an opportunity; other than the obvious opportunity to reconfirm that the hardstand is still required to service vessels within the greater Auckland area (note Councils direct consultation around the revised plan only extends to members of the public within the Orakei Local boards geographical area). We also see it as an opportunity to have the hardstand recategorized as a regional asset rather than a local one.
The reason for this is that for the past nine years the site has been designated a “park” and by right is directly controlled by the Orakei Local Board. As a result, all decision making, funding and event planning has been directly at the discretion of the board. Given that the Board has extremely limited funding that by there own admission is massively oversubscribed, The Landing in general has had very limited (basically nothing) invested on it and in fact not one of the items agreed to within the 2013 concept plan have been implemented including the reconfiguration of the main traffic entrance (something that was considered an urgent Health and Safety issue in 2013). It is also the reason that the site’s travel lift has not been in operation for the past five years and why 30% of the hardstand was not usable due to major plumbing and drainage issues for a three-year period. Additionally, 25% of the hardstand was “gifted” to the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre for “temporary” storage (four years) and the hardstand was closed for the 2019 summer to host the Hyundai NZ 49er, 49erFX and Nacra Worlds.
In short, trying to operate a haul out / hardstand under their direct governance of an elected board is simply not possible, moving the hardstand back under direct Council control will return the site to profit and allow the continued investment and betterment of the facility.
Items that were proposed and accepted by Council prior to the Local Boards ownership include:
Contractor workstations (workshop shipping containers) being implement around the yard’s periphery.
Additional cradle and boat prop procurement.
A paint / covered workspace.
Refurbishment of the existing travel lift.

What we need from you:
Please take the time to register and complete the survey yourself (https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing), additionally please forward it on to as many affected or interested people as possible.

The consultation date end is 28 February so please submit your submission before then.

Additionally you may want to contact your local member of Council (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/governing-body-wards-committees/wards/Pages/ward-councillors.aspx) or the Mayor (phil.goff@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) to share your concerns.
It’s also worth highlighting the fact that primarily due to the value of coastal property and compliance issues, hardstands are being forced to closed. You may be aware that Pier 21 is for sale (likely to be developed into apartments and /or one of the vents for the proposed harbour crossing tunnel), the Hibiscus Marine Centre has just closed, Shoal Bay is under pressure from their local board to close (https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/little-shoal-bay), Hobsonville and Pine Harbour yards are under pressure to shrink due to pending residential development, Robinson boats yard is for sale (likely to be developed into residential) and Gulf Harbour is continuing to shrink its hardstand in favour of dry stack vessels. All this is going on while boat ownership numbers are increasing at a dramatic rate.

Kind regards,




Kind regards,


Jonny McCabe
Yard Manager and haul out operator
The Landing Hardstand, Okahu Bay
PH: (09) 520 3638

EM: office@thelanding.org.nz

www.facebook.com/thelandingokahubay/?rf=223987067677275

www.thelanding.org.nz/

I had a call from a deepthroat inside a organisation, they know shit us mere mortals are intentionally kept in the dark about.

Massive concern apathy is gojbg to mean we lose a lot of good shit to vested interests, some who have plans to charge for what is currently open and free to everyone.

The Landing in Orakei is slated to go away from boats and into a reserve. Unless the public maje enough noise its a done deal.

So if you think retaining just a little forshore of boat use then submit saying so.

Little Shoal Bay plans show a haul out for multis but the preperation around the change has zero hardstandcarea. The images and those pushing then are both lies.

If you want the gardstand, and it is only a smalk one, submit today saying so.

The Hauraki Gulf board, which is currently a public enterty is about to be folded and replaced by a unaccountable iwi lead group. They intend to make massive changes including chargingvfor its use. Boats have been purchased to help that happen.

If youvwznt tge Gulf left open for all to be enjoyex by all and administered by all submit today saying so.

All big scary stuff but real life stuff ygat will affect us all.

Ok so thanks for doing some background and sharing here.

Firstly, there seem to be 2 issues in okay here:

1. Okaku hardstand specifically

2. Governance of wider Hauraki Gulf including Iwi roles

I’m a bit confused as to why these two things are tied together?

Either way, I’m now suitably motivated to go online and make a submission. But will voting to “keep the hardstand as-is” also prevent the change of gulf governance?

Sorry that is me putting 3 things we need to get onto in the one post. Im rural in the rain so using phone, something Im not built to do. When Im back south I can expand further on each of the 3.

The concern my deepthroat has is with the H Gulf one a bunch of unelected very much race based organisations are that confident they will be given the Gulf, they are activly getting a fleet of vessels, some rather flash, togeather to use for enforcement. Enforcement of what is the thing we're not being told or have a voice in.

Ok so the feedback link at the top of this thread is didcufucslly just for the hardstand issue, right?

In terms of the other broader matter of Gulf governance, where / when / how do we intervene & feedback on that?

FOGG if you mean this to save the gulf
www.gulfusers.org.nz/petition

DO NOT SIGN OR ENGAGE
Have asked "legasea" and no they do not support this group.

Dig deaper and you will find its full of crooks and racist.


As far save the Hardstand Yes support ,because I will bet last $$ the council will flog the land and a developer will build apartments,have a look at Bayswater,might as well close the ramp as the developer has left little room for trailers etc.

I think Harry has some issues with the gulf users forum, which maybe philosophical or personality based, that’s an opinion I might disagree with but support his right to have that view. But it is all a matter of balance and direction. I generally support legasea but that’s like saying I support recycling.

I dont support race based undemocratic processes and governance.

Local government has piss poor democratic restraints. Hardly anyone votes and few pay attention. Those of us on here who submit are in the minority by miles. Special interest groups or private enterprises (like marina owners) are better organized behind the scenes and for “consultations”. Council consultations are full of leading questions that will not give you the opportunity to actually disagree.

Some of the changes are insidious trends that will ultimately undermine our country.