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The Landing hardstand, Okahu Bay


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The Landing Hardstand, Okahu Bay needs your help!

You may be aware that the Orakei Local Board has commissioned a survey to get feedback on their “options” for the future layout and operation of the Landing: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing

One of these options is to completely remove the hardstand, the other is to scale it down considerably and the third involves a small deduction of hardstand space.

This is particularly frustrating as the site went through a full public consultation process in 2013 (at considerable expense to the rate payer) that produced the Landing concept design. (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/local-boards/all-local-boards/orakei-local-board/Documents/the-landing-concept-plan.pdf), this concept was formally adopted by Council and stakeholders alike. It seems the pressures from the commercially run Hyundai Marine Sports Centre on the local board have resulted in a “refresh” of the concept plan that if two of the three concepts are ‘selected” it will result in the site being used for more storage of privately owned dinghies at the demise of the hardstand.

Whilst we obviously support all forms of marine sports and yachting, we believe that there are considerably better options for dinghy storage that could be implemented on site. For example using the internal storage facility within the new Hyundai Marine Sports Centre for vessel storage as it was originally intended not as an alcohol and food storage facility to assist its restaurant. As well as better rationale around what vessels are stored on site and who owns them (the original 2013 concept plan only allowed for club training boats to be stored on site, currently all the boats stored on site are privately owned not club owned).

Whilst this all seems like a bit of doom and gloom, we are choosing to look at it as an opportunity; other than the obvious opportunity to reconfirm that the hardstand is still required to service vessels within the greater Auckland area (note Councils direct consultation around the revised plan only extends to members of the public within the Orakei Local boards geographical area). We also see it as an opportunity to have the hardstand recategorized as a regional asset rather than a local one. 

The reason for this is that for the past nine years the site has been designated a “park” and by right is directly controlled by the Orakei Local Board. As a result, all decision making, funding and event planning has been directly at the discretion of the board. Given that the Board has extremely limited funding that by there own admission is massively oversubscribed, The Landing in general has had very limited (basically nothing) invested on it and in fact not one of the items agreed to within the 2013 concept plan have been implemented including the reconfiguration of the main traffic entrance (something that was considered an urgent Health and Safety issue in 2013). It is also the reason that the site’s travel lift has not been in operation for the past five years and why 30% of the hardstand was not usable due to major plumbing and drainage issues for a three-year period. Additionally, 25% of the hardstand was “gifted” to the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre for “temporary” storage (four years) and the hardstand was closed for the 2019 summer to host the Hyundai NZ 49er, 49erFX and Nacra Worlds.

In short, trying to operate a haul out / hardstand under their direct governance of an elected board is simply not possible, moving the hardstand back under direct Council control will return the site to profit and allow the continued investment and betterment of the facility.
Items that were proposed and accepted by Council prior to the Local Boards ownership include:
• Contractor workstations (workshop shipping containers) being implement around the yard’s periphery.
• Additional cradle and boat prop procurement.
• A paint / covered workspace.
• Refurbishment of the existing travel lift. 

What we need from you: 
Please take the time to register and complete the survey yourself (https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/the-landing), additionally please forward it on to as many affected or interested people as possible.
The consultation date end is 28 February so please submit your submission before then.
Additionally you may want to contact your local member of Council (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/governing-body-wards-committees/wards/Pages/ward-councillors.aspx)  or the Mayor (phil.goff@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) to share your concerns.

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It’s also worth highlighting the fact that primarily due to the value of coastal property and compliance issues, hardstands are being forced to close. You may be aware that Pier 21 is for sale (likely to be developed into apartments and /or one of the vents for the proposed harbour crossing tunnel), the Hibiscus Marine Centre has just closed, Shoal Bay is under pressure from their local board to close (https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/little-shoal-bay), Hobsonville and Pine Harbour yards are under pressure to shrink due to pending residential development, Robertsons boat yard is for sale (likely to be developed into residential)  and Gulf Harbour is continuing to shrink its hardstand in favour of dry stack vessels. All this is going on while boat ownership numbers are increasing at a dramatic rate.

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14 hours ago, ex Elly said:

It’s also worth highlighting the fact that primarily due to the value of coastal property and compliance issues, hardstands are being forced to close. You may be aware that Pier 21 is for sale (likely to be developed into apartments and /or one of the vents for the proposed harbour crossing tunnel), the Hibiscus Marine Centre has just closed, Shoal Bay is under pressure from their local board to close (https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/little-shoal-bay), Hobsonville and Pine Harbour yards are under pressure to shrink due to pending residential development, Robinson boats yard is for sale (likely to be developed into residential)  and Gulf Harbour is continuing to shrink its hardstand in favour of dry stack vessels. All this is going on while boat ownership numbers are increasing at a dramatic rate.

The navy base would make an awesome marine hub …or residential hub .  I bet my third nut some shyster has an eye on it 

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IMHO whats happening is that small to medium keelboat yachting is shrinking and giant launches/yachts are growing as a proportion of the moored boat part of the market. If you have a multimillion dollar launch  you dont really care about inconveniences such as fees or location so you can do DIY. You get you man to do it, also you tend to live in the areas overlooking these pesky fleabag yachties doing nasty work with grinder at all hours on their boats so you dont want that either. In essence the public interest and support for yachting is at an all time low compared to the 70's when half the fleet was built! We've had it good but now its getting tough in the big city.

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We must have the most over regulated haul out yards anywhere,From sanding antifoul to painting hulls,osh rules,council by laws etc.The DIY can do bugger all now so its pay the pros. 

Sanding antifoul must be able to contain and wet sand,must put in waste bins any foul and not return to the sea.(even though thats where the barnicles etc have come from)spraying to be done it a tent type arrangement. Getting to stage who would really want own a vessel when chartering options are starting to look attractive.

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