Locals at a 2022 protest over the mining. Photo: Save Our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri/ Elevated Media
After decades of fighting, Pākiri locals are pleased to see an end to offshore sand mining and say its beaches can now "heal".
Damon Clapshaw was one of the many parties involved in court action against mining company McCallum Bros.
He said the win brought many emotions.
"Disbelief, contentedness, appreciation, pride. It feels like the end of the reign of the white witch at Narnia."
McCallum Bros reached a settlement agreement with Manuhiru Kaitiaki Charitable Trust and Auckland Council.
The agreement settled court costs of $450,000 with Manuhiru Kaitiaki Charitable Trust and surrendered a temporary consent with Auckland Council which allowed it to continue to dredge sand while court action was ongoing. The sand was used for concrete and infrastructure projects such as the City Rail Link.
McCallum Bros abandoned its High Court appeal on 28 August, bringing an end to more than 80 years of sand mining off the beach, north of Auckland.
In a statement, it said it abandoned the appeal due to the ongoing costs involved in continuing it, when it could take years to be determined.
McCallum Bros attempt to gain approval for dredging at Pākiri to be included in the Fast-track Approvals Act, which could potentially overrule court defeats was unsuccessful.
"This win will resonate with generations of some families and entities. For many families it has been a constant, generational blight, without an apparent end in sight," Clapshaw said.
He said the win was a result of strong community support, along with the support of experts.
"We revealed that the dredgers had created and hidden, deep seabed trenches, being a breach of their offshore consent. We proved that onshore erosion was being caused. We revealed many operational misstatements, incorrect science and gravely concerning dredging operations. In parallel, local iwi were united, strong and compelling in highlighting significant cultural harms."
Damon Clapshaw. Photo: Supplied
Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust chairman Terrence 'Mook' Hohneck said he welcomed the agreement bringing the end to the mining.
"We have continuously opposed the extraction of sand from the seabed at Pākiri since the application was lodged, so this withdrawal is a welcome end to many years of legal efforts to protect our taiao," Mook said.
He believed the dredging had caused erosion to the beach and said there was concern continued dredging could affect endangered tara iti (fairy tern).
McCallum Bros said its focus now was a fast-track application for sand mining further north in Bream Bay. This project has also been met with local opposition and protest.
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