19 Dec 2014

Mighty River welcomes land ruling

7:41 pm on 19 December 2014

Mighty River Power has welcomed a decision by the High Court to strike out an injunction application by a hapu trying to stop the sale of land owned by the company.

It is comprised of five blocks of privately owned land at Marsden Point not previously owned by the Crown.

The High Court has ruled that Mighty River Power, now partly privatised, does not have to consider Maori claims to the 166 hectares of land it wants to sell.

The company set aside two lots that were protected by memorials under the State Owned Enterprises Act for possible return to Maori.

But the court has ruled that Mighty River Power does not have to protect Maori interests or Treaty claims over the remaining lots because they were bought after the act was passed.

The company says it will now restart the sale process of the five blocks, as well as continue discussions with the Office of Treaty Settlements about the potential sale of two others that have 27B memorials on the titles which give specific protections to Maori in such circumstances.

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