Half of Takapuna Golf Course will be redeveloped into a flood-detention wetland, following Auckland Council’s decision to implement a plan intended to safeguard Milford and the Wairau Valley from further flood damage.
The decision follows a months-long review of competing proposals between the council and Takapuna Golf Club, whose 18-hole course currently occupies A.F. Thomas Park. According to NZ Herald, the council’s chosen design will see the park partially transformed into a multi-purpose wetland with the capacity to hold at least 550 million litres of stormwater. The remaining land will host a nine-hole course and a driving range.
According to a report from RNZ, the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) and major insurer IAG welcomed the council’s announcement, warning that extreme weather risks are increasing and insurance may become unaffordable or unavailable without proactive infrastructure.
Kris Faafoi, chief executive of the ICNZ, said their members received more than 1,000 claims from the Milford and Wairau areas after the devastating 2023 floods.
“What we’re asking, as insurers of those areas, is to make sure we can protect families and keep insurance available to those communities,” Faafoi said.
Amanda Whiting, chief executive of IAG New Zealand, which received over 3,000 claims in the same period, said the project was necessary for long-term protection.
“Strategic land-use decisions like this, which build resilience and reduce future harm, are essential to keeping insurance both accessible and affordable,” Whiting said.
The council’s Healthy Waters division completed an eight-step technical assessment comparing its original plan to two proposals from the golf club. Tom Mansell, head of sustainable partnerships, said the club’s initial suggestion of multiple small ponds was not feasible due to cost, maintenance, and stagnant water risks.
Mansell said the final design is a compromise that allows recreational golf to continue while improving stormwater management.
“This is not work that is optional,” Mansell said. “It’s disruptive and costly, but we have to do it.”
The wetland will also include paths for cycling and walking, transforming the area into a multi-use community space.
Eventfinda Stadium CEO Brian Blake said the venue, which saw $4.8 million in flood damage in 2023, is at serious risk without the catchment project.
“All it would take is 100mm on the floor,” Blake said. “We’re in the lowest part of the land here, so the floods start with us. It doesn’t matter if it’s a foot or a metre or an inch, we won’t get insurance if the flooding is allowed to continue. And that means we will be no more.”
Milford Residents’ Association spokesperson Debbie Dunstan added, “Anyone who’s seen the images of what happened in 2023 will know how large this problem is.”
The project is part of Auckland’s $760 million “Making Space for Water” programme. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
Do you support the conversion of the golf course into a flood catchment? Let us know in the comments.
