Concerns car park changes at Matiatia will leave Owhanake car park – more than half a kilometre from the ferry terminal – as the sole commuter car park have been dismissed by Hauraki Gulf Islands transport manager Reg Cuthers.

Speaking to Gulf News, Mr Cuthers said reports all of the car parking would be removed from the foreshore area was “not my take on things.”

He said the planned changes would see the rental car companies moved and the grass car park, which he said was “not suitable for all weather parking,” drained.

He said the council was only applying “to obtain consent to develop” at Owhanake for any future development and that the sealed car park close to the ferry terminal would remain.

“Nothing is going to change.”

However, earlier reports that the Owhanake car park would become the main parking location for ferry users have prompted a strong reaction and community board transport spokesperson Herb Romaniuk has urged caution over claims the reports were misleading. He describes the confirmed changes as “the thin end of the wedge.”

Mr Romaniuk said a recent meeting with council planners convinced him “They do want to create Owhanake as the main car park” despite the idea being part of the mothballed Matiatia Directional Plan.

Mr Romaniuk said that while the plan proposals for development on the car park sites is “90 percent unlikely to go ahead, ever”, when it comes to car parking “we cannot afford to give an inch of ground.”

Despite its mothballed status, the directional plan remains the sole development plan for the area and Mr Romaniuk believes it is still being used, as changes to parking in the area make up a “substantial portion” of what he called a flawed plan.

Hauraki Gulf Islands councillor Denise Roche said she thought the changes would have a minimal impact on commuters, saying “I support some car parking remaining at Matiatia –  and my understanding is that it’s mainly the car parking in the grassy area which is leased parking that will be shifted to behind the Harbour Masters building.

“The grassed parking is a mud pit in winter and really not suitable for paid parking.”

The Waiheke Ferry Users Group has also responded to the claims, with president Jan Scott saying: “The Owhanake car park is not within close proximity of the ferry terminal at Matiatia.

“Auckland City Council fails to realise that Matiatia is our ‘park and ride’ – our Albany. We park at Matiatia and ride public transport to the city.”

Ms Scott also raised concerns a more difficult commute would force people to move off-island, concerns shared by Mr Romaniuk who pointed out that the approximately 1100 people who use the ferry daily for their commute “bring money back to the island.”

He said he feared that if the directional plan changes were implemented, making it “harder for people to go to and from work”, then it would damage the island’s economy as people relocate closer to workplaces in Auckland.

Despite Mr Cuthers’ comments, Mr Romaniuk believes car parking at Matiatia remains “under a cloud” and that it is essential that parking close to the ferry remains. • Benn Bathgate