Post by fish on Sept 12, 2022 21:34:50 GMT 12
Hardstand Closure
It’s with great sadness that we need to make our users aware that following a directive from the Orakei Local Board, the hardstand will be closing for good as of the 28th of February 2023.
The decision has left us stunned, especially when all of the board members were made aware that Pier 21 is (and now has) closed for good. Leaving Auckland even more drastically short of hardstand spaces and availability.
The local board recently carried out a very limited “public consultation”, limited as it only consulted with members within the local Orakei area even though the site is primarily used by Aucklander's who do not live within the Orakei area. Additionally, one of the three options that they put forward / sought consultation on (Option 3) incorporates a new safe harbour and tree top boardwalks without explaining during consultation that neither the Local Board nor Council (even in the 10 year long term plan) have any funding to develop this option (estimated at 20 million plus). Additionally, half the “submitters” came from the Akarana Marine Sports Trust / Royal Akarana Yacht Club with 340 submitters supporting the hardstand and 469 opposed (i.e. selected option 3 as their preferred)
A link to the “consultation” can be found here: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing
As part of the consultation process, the Orakei Local Board were made aware of the following:
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a submission supporting the hardstand staying.
Hardstand Viability; it was formally confirmed that the Hardstand returned non-rates revenue prior to the Orakei Local Boards “involvement”.
Auckland’s requirement for hardstands; they received formal confirmation via a letter from the New Zealand Marina Operators Association and The New Zealand Marine Association confirming that Auckland requires more hardstands and that the closure of The Landing Hardstand would be extremely detrimental to Auckland’s marine industry.
Bio Security; they were made aware by Councils own Bio Security department (the same department that is spending millions of rate payers money annually trying to minimise bio security issues in the greater Auckland area) that hardstands in general are a key tool in managing bio security issues and that the hardstand at The Landing provides such services.
Reduction in hardstands in the greater Auckland area; they were made aware that in the last six months two hardstands in the greater Auckland area had closed, and two further were likely to close. Coincidentally, Pier 21 (the yard that hauls the largest volume of vessels in the Auckland area), announced its closure only three days after the board meeting that effectively closed The Landing Hardstand.
Additional cost to rate payers; they were made aware that the Hardstand business effectively covered off all day to day running costs of The Landing (approximately 250K per annum) and that if the Hardstand were to close these costs would have to be met by ratepayers.
All this information and they still opted to close the hardstand in favour of a new $20-million-dollar park that there is no funding allocated to…. and not likely to be for many years.
Doesn’t sound right, does it? We don’t think so either.
How you can help:
•Register via Office@thelanding.org.nz to join our database of hardstand supporters.
•Email / write to the Mayor and your local Councillors and MP’s outlining your concerns.
•Let the local board members that voted for the hardstand’s closures know your thoughts and remember its local body elections time.
There is already a group of both hardstand and The Landing users who have united and are currently putting together a legal challenge, we are fortunate to have several people who have underwritten these costs but going forward we may look for additional financial contributors. We will keep you up to date with the status of the legal challenge via email (you will obviously need to register to receive this).
Local Board members that voted in favour of closing the hardstand*:
•Scott Milne: scott.milne@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 876 326
•Sarah Powrie: sarah.powrie@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 142 2913
•Margaret Voyce: margaret.voyce@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 029 880 9900
•Troy Elliott: troy.elliott@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 658 769
*details found on the Auckland Council website
Local Board Members who supported the hardstand:
•Troy Churton
•Colin Davis
** David Wong abstained from the vote **
Other useful contact details included:
•Councillor Desley Simpson: desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 971 786
•Auckland Council Councillors: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/.../ward-councillors...
•Mayor Goff: phil.goff@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
It’s with great sadness that we need to make our users aware that following a directive from the Orakei Local Board, the hardstand will be closing for good as of the 28th of February 2023.
The decision has left us stunned, especially when all of the board members were made aware that Pier 21 is (and now has) closed for good. Leaving Auckland even more drastically short of hardstand spaces and availability.
The local board recently carried out a very limited “public consultation”, limited as it only consulted with members within the local Orakei area even though the site is primarily used by Aucklander's who do not live within the Orakei area. Additionally, one of the three options that they put forward / sought consultation on (Option 3) incorporates a new safe harbour and tree top boardwalks without explaining during consultation that neither the Local Board nor Council (even in the 10 year long term plan) have any funding to develop this option (estimated at 20 million plus). Additionally, half the “submitters” came from the Akarana Marine Sports Trust / Royal Akarana Yacht Club with 340 submitters supporting the hardstand and 469 opposed (i.e. selected option 3 as their preferred)
A link to the “consultation” can be found here: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing
As part of the consultation process, the Orakei Local Board were made aware of the following:
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei made a submission supporting the hardstand staying.
Hardstand Viability; it was formally confirmed that the Hardstand returned non-rates revenue prior to the Orakei Local Boards “involvement”.
Auckland’s requirement for hardstands; they received formal confirmation via a letter from the New Zealand Marina Operators Association and The New Zealand Marine Association confirming that Auckland requires more hardstands and that the closure of The Landing Hardstand would be extremely detrimental to Auckland’s marine industry.
Bio Security; they were made aware by Councils own Bio Security department (the same department that is spending millions of rate payers money annually trying to minimise bio security issues in the greater Auckland area) that hardstands in general are a key tool in managing bio security issues and that the hardstand at The Landing provides such services.
Reduction in hardstands in the greater Auckland area; they were made aware that in the last six months two hardstands in the greater Auckland area had closed, and two further were likely to close. Coincidentally, Pier 21 (the yard that hauls the largest volume of vessels in the Auckland area), announced its closure only three days after the board meeting that effectively closed The Landing Hardstand.
Additional cost to rate payers; they were made aware that the Hardstand business effectively covered off all day to day running costs of The Landing (approximately 250K per annum) and that if the Hardstand were to close these costs would have to be met by ratepayers.
All this information and they still opted to close the hardstand in favour of a new $20-million-dollar park that there is no funding allocated to…. and not likely to be for many years.
Doesn’t sound right, does it? We don’t think so either.
How you can help:
•Register via Office@thelanding.org.nz to join our database of hardstand supporters.
•Email / write to the Mayor and your local Councillors and MP’s outlining your concerns.
•Let the local board members that voted for the hardstand’s closures know your thoughts and remember its local body elections time.
There is already a group of both hardstand and The Landing users who have united and are currently putting together a legal challenge, we are fortunate to have several people who have underwritten these costs but going forward we may look for additional financial contributors. We will keep you up to date with the status of the legal challenge via email (you will obviously need to register to receive this).
Local Board members that voted in favour of closing the hardstand*:
•Scott Milne: scott.milne@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 876 326
•Sarah Powrie: sarah.powrie@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 142 2913
•Margaret Voyce: margaret.voyce@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 029 880 9900
•Troy Elliott: troy.elliott@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 658 769
*details found on the Auckland Council website
Local Board Members who supported the hardstand:
•Troy Churton
•Colin Davis
** David Wong abstained from the vote **
Other useful contact details included:
•Councillor Desley Simpson: desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz / 021 971 786
•Auckland Council Councillors: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/.../ward-councillors...
•Mayor Goff: phil.goff@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
