Strategic consenting for Upper Waitematā Marine centre

By combining planning strategy, engineering advice, specialist coordination, and early stakeholder engagement, the team supported a consented outcome that balanced club operations with wider public access to the coast.

The challenge

Kāinga Ora needed resource consent for a new marine recreation facility supporting Hobsonville Yacht Club and Westlake Boys High School Rowing Club. The proposal included boat storage, club facilities, a public deck, and publicly accessible wharf, jetty, and pontoon structures.

The site crossed both land and the coastal marine area, which made the consenting pathway high risk. Without a clear and well-structured strategy, the project faced potential delay, redesign, or loss of the most practical operational outcome for the centre’s users.

Why it was complex

The main challenge was securing approval for exclusive use within the coastal marine area, particularly ground-floor storage for club activities. The project summary notes that this outcome sat at odds with the broader direction of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and Auckland Unitary Plan provisions.

The application also needed to address several environmental and planning matters, including indigenous vegetation removal, parking limitations, seabed disturbance from piling works, and the placement of structures within the coastal marine area.

What Harrison Grierson did

Harrison Grierson supported Kāinga Ora from the investigation stage through to final consent conditions. The team tested options, reviewed the site’s consenting history, researched consenting requirements, reviewed existing permits, and developed a workable consenting strategy.

The team also prepared and lodged the resource consent application, coordinated specialist inputs, supported the public notification process, and helped review and agree consent conditions. This integrated approach brought planning, engineering, local infrastructure knowledge, and specialist advice together early, creating a stronger and more complete application.  

A key part of the strategy was reframing the coastal occupation issue through a clear public benefit narrative. While the proposal required some exclusive use within the coastal marine area, it also delivered improved public access through publicly accessible wharf, jetty, and pontoon structures.

Harrison Grierson also identified and used existing Kāinga Ora permits, avoiding the need for additional applications for dredging and mangrove removal. This reduced consenting risk and helped simplify the approval pathway.

The result

Resource consent was granted in 2020 following a volunteered public notification process. Once funding was secured, construction began and the centre opened in April 2026.

The project delivered a balanced outcome: the marine centre could meet the operational needs of Hobsonville Yacht Club and Westlake Boys High School Rowing Club, while maintaining public access to the wharf, jetty, and pontoon structures.

Why it mattered

The Upper Waitematā Marine Centre shows how a disciplined consenting strategy can help resolve complex coastal planning issues without losing sight of community value. Early engagement with iwi, Upper Harbour Local Board, the Harbourmaster, Auckland Council, and the wider community helped build trust and transparency before formal notification.

The project also shows the value of reviewing site history and existing approvals before defaulting to new consent pathways. For future coastal projects, this approach can reduce risk, clarify trade-offs, and support more confident decision-making from the start.

Read more about the project here: UWMC