Land protestors erect art at Ihumatao

The fight for Ihumatao is set to only getting fiercer.

About 200 residents from Mangere came out in protest of the development of a Special Housing Area last weekend.

The supporters built the structure representing a home on the grass verge of the property on Ihumatao Quarry Road.

Concrete blocks have been installed with artists painting them and a board reading ‘‘I riro whenua atu, mei hoki whenua mai...’’ has been put up.

A pohutukawa pou whenua (land post), has also been erected to symbolise the ongoing presence of mana whenua (people of the land) on the land over the last 800 years.

Fletcher Residential received permission to build 480 homes next to the protected Otuataua Stonefields reserve on this site in February, and the community has been opposing that move ever since.

With flags placed along the borders of the 80-acre property, campaign group Save Our Unique Land (SOUL) intends to progressively add to the new structure.

SOUL member Brendan Corbett is a candidate for the Manukau Ward and says ’’protecting Ihumatao’’ is a significant issue in his campaign for the Council.

‘‘Ihumatao encapsulates Auck- land’s history,’’ Corbett says

‘‘Right now it’s mountains and greenery, you turn around and you can see the monolith of Auckland city just rolling towards us.’’

He agrees that more houses are needed, but says it’s time for planners to ‘‘get creative’’.

To protect Ihumatao, SOUL is planning community events to increase awareness and to protest against the development.

Fletcher Residential and Land Development Chief Executive Steve Evans says Auckland can have housing and history.

‘‘Experts estimate we need 49,000 new houses right now and an additional 10,000 each following year just to keep pace with population growth.’’

The company asserts that it will not build on areas of cultural significance within the Oruarangi Road Special Housing area.

Respectful of the site’s cultural history, Fletcher Residential says it ‘‘will continue to consult with Te Kawera and Te Akitai who are iwi with the mandate to represent the local people. They have mana whenua over the land’’.

They say they ‘‘believe having a Special Housing Area at Oruarangi Road is the right result for Auckland’’.