Auckland Council's chief executive has written to the land owner of an abandoned golf club in the city's Gulf Harbour suburb, seven weeks after two fires largely destroyed its buildings.
The Whangaparāoa Peninsula course, which hosted the New Zealand Golf Open in 2005 and 2006, was closed "with immediate effect" in July last year.
The first fire occurred on May 18 and saw the club's golf shop go up in flames. The second fire — three days later — saw the club itself largely destroyed, leaving the community heartbroken. Officials have said the fires were likely caused by an "incendiary".
The country club was demolished following the fires.
In the letter to Long River Investments Corporation Limited last week, council chief executive Phil Wilson talked of the 999-year encumbrance on the land that requires it to be used as a golf course and country club, and reminded Greg Olliver and Wayne Bailey — in their capacity as director or shareholder — of the required maintenance of the property.
Wilson said it was "a matter of simply being a good neighbour". Local residents have been maintaining the grounds themselves, some with ride-on lawnmowers.
"Recent fire damage, lack of maintenance and now long term freedom camping on the property are all of serious concern."
Wilson also revealed the demolition had cost the council more than $200,000 in "engineering, demolition, disposal and security purposes".
"We will require to be reimbursed in full for these and an invoice will be with you shortly."
On the encumbrance, which came into force in 2006, Wilson wrote: "My existing obligation and I dare say the ongoing political direction of Council to me as Chief Executive, will be to ensure the encumbrance is honoured."
He noted the community's expectations that the encumbrance remain in place. Keep Whangaparāoa's Green Spaces (KWGS) was formed amid development fears and it has expressed a number of times the encumbrance should remain.
Wilson said the council had not received any request from Long River to remove or amend the encumbrance, either in whole or in part.
"The community are certainly of the opinion that such a request is likely to be made to the Council and, in general terms, are strongly of the view that Council should vigorously resist any changes that would diminish the current arrangements."
He said the council would follow "due process" if a request was made. Wilson added the purpose for which the encumbrance was entered into would be relevant, along with the community's expectations.
Owner wanted to undertake 'boundary adjustment'
Long River submitted a resource consent last year to undertake a "boundary adjustment" which would separate the land into two titles and reduce the size of the land. Long River said it would like to sell part of the land to fund the golf course's redevelopment.
As there would not be enough room on the remaining land to accommodate an 18-hole course, Long River said it planned to purchase further coastal land near the existing golf course.
The land had majority zoning as Public Open Space – Sport and Active Recreation Zone. There was also an encumbrance on the land that required it to be used as a golf course and country club.
Long River wanted its application to proceed without public notification but Auckland Council Duty Commissioner Vanessa Wilkinson ruled in March the application should proceed on a publicly notified basis.
She said the "unusual circumstance" of the land's zoning and encumbrance, coupled with a high level of public interest — which she said was out of the common run of interest for a boundary adjustment application — "results in special circumstances and these circumstances warrant and/or make public notification desirable".
Auckland Council told 1News last month: "The applicant has not informed council of whether it would like to proceed with public notification."
The council's chief executive ended his letter by saying he would welcome an opportunity for himself and/or senior staff to meet with Olliver and Bailey to "understand your intentions and next steps".
"I can understand the community's interest in the property and the lack of certainty around its future does create a natural vacuum for others to fill.
"It is in both our interests to provide clarity to the community."
In a media release, KWGS spokesperson Howard Baldwin said Wilson's letter was a "major development" and "reflects the overwhelming support from the Whangaparāoa community to stop any housing development on the golf course land".
Olliver and Bailey have been contacted for comment.
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