Press Release – Auckland Conservation Board
The Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Conservation Board has today spoken in opposition of the Resource Consent Application being made to extract sand from coastal areas off Pākiri Beach.
The applicant is seeking to renew its consent with Auckland Council, to dredge up to a total of 2,000,000m³ of sand from an area of 44 km² within the coastal marine area, over a 20-year period. The applicant’s current consent is due to expire in 2023.
Tāmaki Makaurau – Auckland Conservation Board’s outgoing Chair, Lyn Mayes, states it opposes the application on several levels, namely the threat further extraction will have on shorebirds and marine mammals in the area, uncertainty relating to the sedimentary process and consequences of climate change; and, the direct and indirect effects on biological processes, such as widespread disturbance to subtidal benthic habitats. The Board also states that it does not believe the applicant has adequately addressed the potential for alternative sources of sand.