The long awaited Whangamata Marina is finally open and operating! Simon Berry and Jen Vella acted for the Thames-Coromandel District Council ("TCDC") in relation to applications by the Whangamata Marina Society for the construction of the 205 berth Whangamata Marina, which would address the shortage of mooring space in the popular coastal town.

TCDC and EW granted the necessary consents to the marina in the late 1990s, but these appealed to the Environment Court by iwi groups. While the Environment Court recognised the value of the marina from an early stage, the initial hearing was adjourned to provide EW with the opportunity to promulgate its Marinas Variation and subsequent amendments to the proposal resulted in the need for further consents. The proceedings culminated in a controversial decision by the Minister for Conservation to veto the proposal, which was subsequently ruled by the High Court to have been made improperly.

Construction of the marina finally started in September 2008 and the facility was opened by Prime Minister John Key in November 2009. To read relevant press clippings, click here and here. To enlarge photos of the completed project, click on them.