The development of Puketutu Island as a public open space has come a step closer with the granting of designation and resource consents by the Environment Court.
Watercare Services Ltd, Auckland’s water and wastewater utility company, successfully obtained the necessary consents at the Environment Court on July 18.
This clears the way for the rehabilitation of the island’s quarry with clean fill and treated biosolids from the adjacent Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant, and for the creation of a new regional park.
Watercare Chief Executive Mark Ford said: “I am delighted that this next milestone in our project has been achieved and I congratulate all those who are involved. We’re now moving into the detailed planning phase.”
Earlier negotiations between Watercare, the Kelliher Charitable Trust which owns the island, and local iwi resulted in an agreement to develop Puketutu Island as a public open space. The island’s freehold title will transfer to new trustees and Watercare will lease the island. Through this process it is proposed that the Auckland Council takes up a renewable lease to guarantee that Puketutu Island remains available to the people of Auckland in perpetuity, with areas opened for public access progressively.
Mr Ford said: “In addition to creating a magnificent new public space for the people of Auckland, this project allows us to rehabilitate the quarry with biosolids. This is a cost-effective strategy for the management of Auckland’s biosolids over 30 years and dramatically reduces truck movements through the wider Mangere area.”
Puketutu Island has a long Maori history and was bought by Dominion Breweries founder Sir Henry Kelliher in 1938 as his farm and home.
Before Sir Henry’s death in 1991, ownership was transferred to the Kelliher Charitable Trust which uses income from the island's assets for public good, including the Kelliher Arts Trust and the Kelliher Economics Foundation.
Kelliher Charitable Trust chairman Harry White said the decision to divest the island would allow the trust to create value for future charitable purposes while securing the long-term future of the island as a regional park.