ex Elly 267 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Hopper developments are planning a new 250 berth marina in Waipiro bay, east of Russell. Far North Mayor supports hapū opposed to fast-tracking of marina plan https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/far-north-mayor-supports-hapu-opposed-to-fast-tracking-of-marina-plan/N3THRL43Z5CS7BR2K46JM6C4C4/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
khayyam 101 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 Seems a strange plan. Super remote by road, no? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zozza 357 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 6 hours ago, khayyam said: Seems a strange plan. Super remote by road, no? Agree. Just had a look on the map - it's out in the wop wops Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 499 Posted May 11 Share Posted May 11 A nice bay to anchor in though fairly shoal, and the last few years we havent been allowed (calerpa) This will not be be an everyman marina ie no berths for your Reactor, there is plenty of demand from those with properties out that side. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ex Elly 267 Posted May 14 Author Share Posted May 14 The first image has been released of controversial plans for a new Bay of Islands marina project at Waipiro Bay. Fast-tracking application documents from companies owned by multimillionaire businessmen Craig Heatley (ex Sky TV) and Leigh Hopper showed the layout of the proposed structure. The project is located predominantly within the coastal marine area and accessed via the property at 285 Manawaora Rd, controlled by an entity related to the applicant. That is Heatley’s Omarino waterfront luxury housing estate. That shows marina car parking, boat ramp parking, a public boat ramp, marina retail facilities and berths from 15m closest to the shore, to 18m, 20m, 22m and 35m. The biggest berths are planned to be 50m long and furthest from the shore, indicated in deep red on the plan. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/property/plan-released-for-proposed-bay-of-islands-marina-at-waipiro-bay/47UJFEFOQFEQDMCKGI7ZKVDOS4/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
motorb 49 Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 Nothing under 15 meters!? Well I'm not entirely surprised. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 842 Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 15? Amateurs... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BOI 0 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Boats sink in new Waipiro Bay Marina! See the photo at https://www.waipiromarina.co.nz/ Why would anyone want to paddleboard in a marina when they currently can paddle in a peaceful bay? The small sailboat pictured with the kids nearby would be in a $200k berth per the developer's own berth price estimates. The eastern Bay of Islands is a special special sailing destination. Why allow it to be spoiled with a massive marina and boat launch facility? Very unpopular in Russell and local community, including hapu. The sales value of the berths is $100m+. The cost to build is $50m. Profit is $50m. These are the developer's own estimates. Not bad since the developer will be given permanent use of the "public" seabed for essentially free. Protect and preserve the eastern Bay of Islands. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 499 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Dont know any retailers who would want to be there, perhaps a large charter operator, and a cafe ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K4309 427 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 11 hours ago, BOI said: Boats sink in new Waipiro Bay Marina! See the photo at https://www.waipiromarina.co.nz/ Why would anyone want to paddleboard in a marina when they currently can paddle in a peaceful bay? I'm sorry, but are you using a bad AI generated graphic to make a political point? You make it sound like a boat has actually sunk. It's a computer generated render FFS. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 842 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 7 minutes ago, K4309 said: I'm sorry, but are you using a bad AI generated graphic to make a political point? You make it sound like a boat has actually sunk. It's a computer generated render FFS. "Sailboat" Ai is insidious Quote Link to post Share on other sites
khayyam 101 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 26 minutes ago, waikiore said: Dont know any retailers who would want to be there, perhaps a large charter operator, and a cafe ... I was thinking the same thing. Fishing charters you mean? The biggest (sail) charter operator out of opua has just shut down. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ynot 60 Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 14 minutes ago, Psyche said: "Sailboat" Ai is insidious Insidious? Is that the right word? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 842 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Who uses the term sailboat in NZ? Ai content leaves clues, we seem to be heading into a place where online discussions will be between my Ai bot and yours lol! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SHK 17 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 16 hours ago, BOI said: The eastern Bay of Islands is a special special sailing destination. Why allow it to be spoiled with a massive marina and boat launch facility? Very unpopular in Russell and local community, including hapu. The sales value of the berths is $100m+. The cost to build is $50m. Profit is $50m. These are the developer's own estimates. Not bad since the developer will be given permanent use of the "public" seabed for essentially free. Protect and preserve the eastern Bay of Islands. I can't see how the proposed facility will spoil the area. The actual site to be developed is all above current drying height, so of no use to yachties. The outer areas of the Bay are a good anchorage for yachts, and would remain so. And hardly a surprise that the normal groups are against it, they always are unless there is a slice of profit or hefty consultancy fee going their way. Whether it's viable, well going by the number of empty berths at the new Waiheke marina, probably not. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 1,134 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 4 hours ago, SHK said: I can't see how the proposed facility will spoil the area That supposes that the additional water and road traffic generated don't reduce amenity for other water users, and that visual amenity loss counts for nothing. It also presupposes that no other recreational activity happens in the bay, eg flounder fishing, kite and windsurfing, kayaking etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 842 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Fast tracking may be appropriate for important infrastructure that's in the national interest but development of private recreational facilities is something that needs consultation with the various stakeholders, it may take time to review the issues and it may not go ahead. We are a democracy after all and the seabed is public property, I am not opposed to any proposal for marina development per se but the developers cant simply bulldoze or sidestep the process because its inconvenient. This also seems an odd place for a marina, it appears to be aimed Aucklanders with holiday homes in the Bay who will keep large boats there i.e it will have almost no connection to the local community yet it's the locals who will have to live with it for generations. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 1,134 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 35 minutes ago, Psyche said: This also seems an odd place for a marina, it appears to be aimed Aucklanders with holiday homes in the Bay who will keep large boats there i.e it will have almost no connection to the local community yet it's the locals who will have to live with it for generations. This could easily describe the majority of marinas in NZ including Picton Waikawa, Havelock, Waiheke Kennedy Point, Toots, etc etc. Perhaps not the main Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington's several. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 842 Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 That may well be true, I'm sure at least some were already used as mooring areas with marina development being a response to organic demand. Whereas this seems to be more of a "a build it and they will come" scenario. Not saying it should or should not go ahead and generally marina's are a positive development but there needs to be consultation among the stakeholders. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murky 3 Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 On 26/05/2025 at 8:43 PM, Psyche said: Fast tracking may be appropriate for important infrastructure that's in the national interest but development of private recreational facilities is something that needs consultation with the various stakeholders, it may take time to review the issues and it may not go ahead. We are a democracy after all and the seabed is public property, I am not opposed to any proposal for marina development per se but the developers cant simply bulldoze or sidestep the process because its inconvenient. This also seems an odd place for a marina, it appears to be aimed Aucklanders with holiday homes in the Bay who will keep large boats there i.e it will have almost no connection to the local community yet it's the locals who will have to live with it for generations. Yep +1 to this. I spend a bit of time at a marina that has a beach at the end of it that's pretty popular in summer including people driving from inland to enjoy it. However the ongoing wish from boat owners is to restrict access more and more, irritated by car park being busier etc. Still reasonably regular occurrences of oily bilge water discharges, sloppy fuel spillages when refuelling, dry sanding, paint brushes being washed out at berths etc despite all of this being clearly against marina rules (and really a carry-over from years gone by). To me it would be hard to make a case that the development of a marina represents a better situation for the surrounding community, and access has a tendency to diminish further over time following the original build. Doesn't seem to me to be that much different to a supermarket or a gas station being proposed? (well, probably less useful than those examples to the daily lives of locals) 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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