Environmental Defence Society chief executive Gary Taylor says a developer's plans to rezone prime horticultural land for housing and industry in a small rural town south of Auckland is a step too far.
Patumahoe has some of New Zealand's most fertile and productive land. Photo: LDR / Supplied
Last month, Auckland Council's Planning Committee voted to accept a private plan change covering 34.5ha of land in Patumahoe on the outskirts of Auckland. The decision meant it could go out for public consultation before a series of hearings will be held to decide whether or not it gets the green light.
The land is currently zoned for rural production and is prime horticultural land.
Developer Askew Consultants is seeking to rezone it for residential, light industry and future urban use.
But there is already development taking place on the outskirts of the town and widespread redevelopment planned in nearby Drury, Opāheke, Pukekohe and Paerata.
Taylor, who has been an outspoken environmentalist for more than four decades, said the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) would file a submission on the private plan change proposal next week.
Taylor said protecting the region's highly productive land was an important issue that the public needed to be aware of.
"I think losing our horticultural land to urbanisation is stupid when there is plenty of land available for urban development," he said.
Patumahoe is part of what's known as the Pukekohe Hub, 4359 hectares of some of New Zealand's most fertile and productive land.
According to Auckland Council's Climate Action Framework released last year, it generates $327 million a year, which is the equivalent of 26 percent of the country's total domestic value of vegetable production.
"The city's urban expansion is gathering pace as Auckland's population continues to grow," Taylor said. "We might get a slight respite because of Covid-19, but it won't be for long. If we are going to expand we need to do it in a clever way and not make stupid mistakes."
Taylor said the council should have rejected the Patumahoe plan change outright.
"It should have been cut off at the pass. It's going to end up being litigated anyway," he said.
"A private plan change, by its very nature, is pushing the boundaries and this one is.
"I think the council should have muscled up and rejected it and if the developer wants to litigate it then so be it, that's the price you pay."
Auckland Council's Planning Committee debated the developer's private plan change proposal last month.
Many of the councillors stated their opposition to it, but said they would follow the advice of council officers and accept the private plan change application and use the independent hearings to oppose it.
A report to the committee said at least 58 per cent of the land is made up of elite soils and 40 per cent can be classed as prime soils. Something the company seeking to rezone the land has disputed.
Askew Consultants director Gayle Askew refused to talk in person, but in a written statement from lawyer Julian Dawson the company said the proposed development would help create 100 local jobs and 200-250 new dwellings.
"We want to achieve a quality development that is sympathetic to the character and feeling of Patumahoe and of which we can be proud. We think it will support the vitality of Patumahoe."
In response to Taylor's comments Dawson said it was too early to be talking about future legal action.
The council is currently putting the finishing touches on its own submission which is expected to oppose it.
Public submissions on the Patumahoe private plan change close on 20 November.
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