Northport has won its Environment Court appeal over a major expansion at Marsden Point, Whangārei Harbour, more than a year after independent commissioners declined a suite of resource consents for the project.
The approved plans cover an almost 12-hectare reclamation, a 250-metre wharf extension, and 1.7 million cubic metres of dredging, all of which would enable a new container terminal at the port. Commissioners had originally refused the consents, finding that the proposed reclamation would carry significant adverse effects on coastal public access, recreational values, and the cultural values of tāngata whenua.
The court's decision, released on Friday, noted that following direct engagement between Northport and local hapū Patuharakeke and Te Parawhau, a full agreement was reached and both hapū withdrew their opposition to the project.
Among the updated consent conditions, Northport has committed $500,000 over a nine-year period toward an integrated marine planning initiative. The company will also enter discussions with Forest and Bird covering shore bird monitoring before and after construction, along with the surveying and relocation of native lizards. Further commitments include improvement works on Mair Road and Marsden Bay Drive, an upgrade to a local playground, and consultation with tāngata whenua on timeframes for project delivery and compliance, in recognition of the loss of coastal open space and recreational values.
Judge Jeff Smith stressed in his decision that Northport's relationship with tāngata whenua was critical to the port's future and to Northland's broader economy. "Given the importance of the port to the Northland economy, I reiterate the importance of developing an ongoing respectful relationship between the port and the relevant tāngata whenua," he said.
Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board spokesperson Juliane Chetham said her organisation was still working through the court's decision and would share its response at a later point.
Northport described the consents as bringing to a close more than a decade of design work, consultation, and negotiation. The 35-year-term consents, the company noted, provide the flexibility to pace expansion around projected freight demand. Chief executive Jon Moore said the ruling gave Northport the certainty it needed to plan ahead and to serve Upper North Island freight requirements well into the future. "The port has said consistently that expansion would boost the economic well-being of not only Northland but also Auckland, the Upper North Island and New Zealand as a whole," he said.
Northland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Leah McKerrow said she was relieved and excited by the outcome, describing the consent as something that had been a long time coming. The expansion would be key for the region's infrastructure, she said, and the decision gave Northlanders confidence that investment was being directed into the region. She added that the additional port capacity would serve both Northland and Auckland.
Whangārei district mayor Vince Cocurullo said the prospect of jobs created during construction was a source of genuine excitement. He anticipated a significant lift in imports and exports from Northland, along with extra capacity to support Auckland. Cocurullo also noted his understanding that the concerns held by the hapū had been resolved and that a good working relationship with Northport was now in place.
