An Auckland golf club has been left in shock by council plans to convert half of its land into a flood water catchment.
The proposal would see 20 hectares of Takapuna Golf Club, which sees more than 500 visitors per day, converted into a wetland.
Takapuna Golf Club spokesperson Stephen Dowd said in a statement lease renewal negotiations had been halted recently by the council prior to the release of the wetland proposal.
The council was hoping to use the land to capture around 550,000 litres of water during an intense weather event, the statement said.
The Wairau catchment was one of the most severely flooded areas during the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods and two lives were lost.
But Dowd said the council’s proposal was unnecessary and flood mitigation options could readily be integrated into the existing golf course design.
“What we know from international best practice in this space, is that courses around the world are incorporating the latest flood mitigation mechanisms into their design.
“The proposal in its current form does not address any alternative design options where additional water catchment can be integrated into the existing layout.
“We understand from experience that the course can already hold a significant proportion of this volume and we believe there is significant scope to increase this with the addition of a series of smaller wetlands, rather than one large reservoir.
“In this way, we can preserve this national asset and offer additional flood protection to residents and businesses in the area.
“We want to continue to provide an entry-level golf facility where people are under no pressure. We have been and are an essential part of golf in Auckland and New Zealand for generations of Kiwis,” he said.
As the closest course to the Auckland CBD, the Takapuna Golf Club was considered a critical part of New Zealand’s golf tourism infrastructure, the statement said.
Auckland Council head of sustainable oartnerships Tom Mansell said in a statement that a wide range of flood mitigation options had been considered.
“A comprehensive range of interventions have been considered with the goal of delivering maximum flood reduction benefits in both the short and long-term. One of the proposed options includes developing AF Thomas Park, the site of the Takapuna golf course, into a recreational flood storage wetland,” he said.
“In this proposed option, the redeveloped park would become part of a blue-green network, able to be used by the community for the majority of the time and could incorporate walking and recreational facilities as well as a wetland that floods in large storm events, similar to Greenslade Reserve in Northcote.”
The redevelopment would mitigate flooding risk for 10 hectares of residential properties, and prevent Nile Rd, Waterloo Rd and Alma Rd. from flooding as well, he said.
“While we acknowledge that repurposing the park will impact its users, council is facing difficult challenges brought on by extreme weather and increased flooding. We’re working to reduce flood risk for homes, schools and businesses, protect major infrastructure like roads, power and water substations as well as balancing land use and recreational needs.”
The statement emphasised the importance of community input, including stakeholders such as the Takapuna Golf Club.
“The changes to land use in the park would be done with community input and, if approved, would not commence for several years,” Mansell said.
“If the business case for this project is approved by the council, there will be more opportunities for engagement and for the community to be involved in the design.
“Addressing the extensive flood issues in the Wairau area will require a phased approach. We will need to work collaboratively with a variety of funders and members of the community, taking a catchment-wide approach to ensure the right outcomes are achieved for the community.”
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