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February 22, 2022
Protect Pukeiāhua back in court
Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira
Posted On February 22, 2022
Download AudioNgaruawāhia hapū Ngāti Tamainupō is in the Environment Court this week as it tries to prevent the destruction of the site of the historic feast that gave its name to the historic town.
Perry Group is attempting to get its resource consent reinstated for earthworks at Pukeiāhua after an independent commissioner overturned it because the application did not reveal the hapū’s opposition.
It now claims the hapū, while it has a distant historical connection to the site, is no longer relevant.
Kimai Huirama from Protect Pukeiāhua says the earthworks for the high priced housing subdivision would destroy the remaining rua on what was a major garden for the area.
“So for 650 days we have been pursuing all avenues to have it protected to allow the hapu to have an ongoing relationship with the whenua, those rua, and so our mokopuna can see where their tūpuna gardened and have talks about how they gardened,” she says.
Ngāti Tamainupō has also developed an environmental plan, Te Mata Herenga, to inform all councils in the rohe of its sites of significance how it wants to be involved in planning processes.
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