Auckland secures legal protection for regional parks and faces landfill appeal

Auckland Council has secured legal protection for an additional 700 hectares of regional parkland, including areas at Te Ārai, Mahurangi, Te Mūri, and Te Oneroa o Kahu / Long Bay. This move brings the council’s entire 45,000-hectare regional parks network under legal protection, providing long-term certainty for the landscapes.

In a separate environmental development, a Court of Appeal hearing is addressing the proposed Auckland Regional Landfill in Dome Valley. The project, proposed by WM New Zealand, faces an appeal from Forest and Bird regarding protections for local rivers and streams. WM New Zealand is seeking to use a fast-track approvals pathway to mitigate delays caused by ongoing legal challenges, a move supported by the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust but contested by local representatives.

Regarding the regional parks, recent council investments have focused on biodiversity and pest control, contributing to a 61 per cent increase in kōkako breeding in the Hūnua Ranges.