Final version - minor changes only

This report documents and analyses stakeholder perspectives on the status and future of the Ngunguru sandspit, with a focus on how interested parties perceive and value the landscape. Our research took place at a time when a major development was proposed for the sandspit by its private owners, prompting community concern and interest. We draw on the views of a purposive sample of interested local residents, government officials, and landowner representatives, who were interviewed between February and December 2008. Key findings include:

• A high level of community mobilisation in defence of the sandspit’s undeveloped character, built up over decades of private ownership and plans for development.
• A keen awareness among respondents of both the affective importance of the sandspit (in terms of emotional connections and a sense of place attachment) and the likely effects of development on the landscape.
• A prevailing interpretation of the sandspit as a holistic feature, with inter-related values, the integrity of which is dependent upon preventing development.
• The rarity value of the sandspit – as an undeveloped beach proximate to coastal settlements and a nearby city – preserved by its relatively inaccessible character.
• A remarkably widespread (near-universal) level of interest and support for the sandspit’s entering public ownership, possibly via a landswap. Importantly, this extended to the landowner representatives at the time of interview.
• Local skepticism towards the exercise of private property rights over the spit, due to the identification of higher values, and a sense that with rights come significant responsibilities towards the landscape and the community.
• Potential development of the sandspit, like that occurring along most of Northland’s east coast, would be suburban in form, and even in function.
• Community concern to avoid both suburbanisation, and large-lot elite subdivision of the spit, via the preferred option of public purchase of the site, and its conversion to a reserve.
• A community view of the sandspit that emphasises the immediate impacts of development on a highly-valued aspect of the local landscape, but is also aware of the regional and national significance of the site in both cultural and natural terms.

View the report (PDF, 357 KB, 62 pages)


Add as favourites (33) | Quote this article on your site | Views: 663



Be first to comment this article

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved