The Ngunguru sandspit. Picture/Stephen Barker, Northern Advocate

More details have emerged of a secret offer from the owners of Ngunguru Sandspit to get Maori to support its plans for a 400-lot subdivision of the ecologically significant peninsula.

The Northern Advocate revealed last week that Landco, which owns the 151-hectare spit, had plans to put up to 400 sections on the property and put 50ha into reserve at the northern tip of the sandspit. The Advocate also revealed Landco had offered local hapu sweeteners to help it get consent for the plan. The company denied any secret deals had been offered. The Advocate has been told by a hapu member that Landco had offered to help build a marae, put in roading on hapu land, set up an educational facility and help with Treaty of Waitangi and Maori Fisheries claims.

It's bull. No such proposal has been put to the hapu members to consider.

However, Violet Sade, administrator for Te Waiariki/Ngati Korora/Ngati Taka hapu said she would eat her hat if such an offer had been made. "It's bull. No such proposal has been put to the hapu members to consider," she said.

She conceded it was possible, but unlikely, the proposal may have been put to individual hapu members. But the Advocate has received a copy of a letter from Landco dated April 3, 2006, and addressed to the Te Waiariki/Ngati Korora/Ngati Taka Hapu Iwi Trust Office from Landco representative Bruce Waters that outlines some "firm and clear proposals that are relevant to Landco's development plans". It states Landco will "shortly be able to show you a concept proposal which provides for up to about 400 lots/sections at the southern (landward) end of the sandspit ... about 45ha in total."

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