Plans anger Opua locals
Opua residents are fighting a proposed commercial marine facility at their small local bay.
Save Our Beach Opua have written a submission, signed by 57 locals, opposing a commercial wharf, large-scale dredging and reclamation of a small beach, which provides the only public access on the Opua side of the Waikare Inlet.
The group questions why this commercial activity has been lumped together in the same resource consent application to the Northland Regional Council as the new Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Terminus.
‘‘We aren’t opposed to the proposed railway station and welcome the tourism and visitor opportunities it represents,’’ resident Ken Stanton says.
‘‘We think that the proposed marine services site would greatly diminish enjoyment of this natural area by visitors using the railway station and cycleway.’’
Cynthia Matthews lives 50m from the small bay and is concerned about effects on local wildlife.
Ben Warren of Ben’s Oysters is named on the resource consent, but says there are over nine marine contractors and oyster farmers who make up the group applying for the resource consent.
The application includes removing 1800 square metres of mangroves and dredging 15,000 square metres of foreshore and seabed.
‘‘They [the applications] are combined for a number of reasons, the main one being as both activities required a new link to State highway 11 and the positioning of the access road will be across the BOIVRT land,’’ Warren says.
BOI Vintage Railway Trust spokesperson Frank Leadley says the marine services landing facility and the vintage railway terminus are quite separate activities.
‘‘We are both involved with creating the shared access from State Highway 11 and the planner suggested putting the applications through together.’’
He says it would be a disaster if the proposal does not go ahead due to objections to the marine services facility.
Facilities at the new terminus would include a cafe, ticketing booth, showers and an events area, he says.
Submissions to the resource consent closed on November 17.