Green Party applauds Long Bay Regional Park decision

The Green Party today welcomes news that the Environment Court has moved to put more safeguards around protection of Long Bay Regional Park.

“Long Bay-Okura is the last piece of undeveloped coastal space within the Auckland metropolitan area,” Green Party MP and East Coast Bays candidate Sue Bradford says.

“We were at risk of losing this asset forever, an asset significant not only to local people but also to those from all over Auckland who come by bus or car to enjoy the beach and park.

“The fact that the Court has directed the developer Landco and the North Shore council to look again at what they’re doing, and to consult with other stakeholders, marks significant progress in the long struggle to save Long Bay.

“This decision comes after a protracted and expensive struggle by local residents who have been fighting for over a decade to minimise the impact of urban development on the land of the Long Bay-Okura Peninsula.

“The proposed residential development also posed a threat to the sustainability of the Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve, and to a number of waahi tapu and other archaeological and heritage sites.

“The Green Party will be keeping a close watch on how negotiations proceed in the light of the Court decision.

“Environmental sustainability, protecting heritage values, and maintaining the rural character of all the land visible from the beaches is critical,” Ms Bradford says.

Ms Bradford lives in Torbay, and her family has been at Long Bay for several generations. Her late father – Professor Dick Matthews – was instrumental in establishing the Long Bay Marine Reserve, and she says she is unashamedly passionate about the need to retain as much as possible of Long Bay's character, despite the huge pressure from urban development.