Continuing production forestry was considered to be marginally economical with monoculture risks and long-term worries. The council was told a coastal community best met the objectives set out by the joint venture. Darby Partners consultant Dr Phil McDermott said development options evaluated included continuing forestry, a farm/forest park, a regional park, a coastal community and more intensive urban development. A campground and a public golf course were also planned. Asked by a councillor if the development would include tourist resorts, Mr Henderson said a lodge and coastal cottages or villas could be developed. Housing which would be 'affordable' was under consideration. A 'significant percentage' of housing sites would be leasehold and a competition between architects had been proposed to vary residential homes and develop design controls. The project had to be 'environmentally and economically sensible' and the council heard that land use options under consideration included establishing a coastal community with hamlet clusters inserted in the forest. Formal public consultation would begin at the end of February. 'We must eventually reach a compromise with the Kaipara District Council,' he said. Mr Henderson said development of the hapu land would impact on the Mangawhai village and roading in the area.

A second rotation of pines was planted on the hapu land in recent years and the joint venture has bought out the Carter Holt Harvey lease of the forest and the trees. The land returned to Te Uri o Hau is from Te Arai Pt north and is known as the Mangawhai North Forest.

The former Mangawhai State Forest extends from the base of the Mangawhai sandspit south to the mouth of the Poutawa stream. NZ Land Trust Holdings directors John Darby and Michael Coburn were behind Queenstown-based Darby Partners' involvement in the Omaha Beach coastal subdivision and golf course 16km north-east of Warkworth and the development of the Clearwater golf resort in Christchurch.

Mr Henderson, of Auckland, is managing the multi-million-dollar joint venture project between Te Uri o Hau and New Zealand Land Trust Holdings Ltd. The development proposals had a strong emphasis on public access to the beach and the planned reserve would ensure the present 'unique beach experience' was unchanged, Darby Partners Ltd spokesman Ewen Henderson said. The planned reserve would be up to 400m wide from the sea to the top of sand dunes which are on the skyline when viewed from the shore, the Kaipara District Council has heard. Te Uri o Hau and New Zealand Land Trust Holdings Ltd are jointly involved in the 620ha development which could include residential leasehold sections, a lodge and coastal cottages or villas, a campground and a public golf course. The reserve borders a 620ha portion of the former Mangawhai State Forest which the Te Uri o Hau hapu of Ngati Whatua received from the Crown as part of its $15.6 million Treaty of Waitangi claim settlement in 2002. A five kilometre-plus beachfront reserve is included in development proposals for land near Mangawhai returned to a Kaipara hapu.

Te hapu coastal cottages