Plans to build two houses in the sand dunes at Owhiti Bay on Waiheke’s pristine north-eastern coastline have been overturned by the Environment Court.
The developers had claimed that the buildings on the dunes would be of minimal visual impact, but the Court said the house’s 98-metre frontage would significantly impact the current character of the beach.
“That is a fairly significant front face in any terms and was variously estimated in the hearing to amount to a fifth or a sixth of the length of the beach,” said Environment Court Judge Laurie Newhook.
“Construction of buildings in the bay would fundamentally recast Owhiti Bay as a modified bay, in strong contrast to its present quality of outstanding naturalness.”
The Auckland Regional Council had appealed the planning decision by Auckland City which last year granted Man O’War Station and associated companies permission to build a 570 sq metre house and a freestanding guesthouse among mature pohutukawa trees on the bay’s 40 metre coastal protection yard.
ARC chairman Mike Lee said this week the council was extremely pleased with the decision and he was proud of the ARC’s role.  
“Had the ARC not made a stand at Owhiti it would have led inevitably to the progressive loss of the whole lovely northeastern coastline which would have been studded with trophy houses,” he said.
“Already the applicants are attempting to overturn a decision declining another large building at nearby Cactus Bay.  
“Owhiti is especially precious because of the ancient Polynesian archaeological site which lies within the sand dunes and is one of Waiheke’s special places.