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Download AudioA significant wooded area overlooking a Nelson housing development is to be transferred to the local iwi.
Ngāti Koata chief executive Hemi Toia says the iwi is working with three partners on the 350-house Maitahi Development in the Maitai Valley.
When the opportunity came to buy the adjoining Kākā Hill block, the syndicate stepped up to buy it.
“The other three owners are looking to gift that whenua, Kākā Hill, to Ngāti Koata as part of the relationship because they are saying what are the options here? We are not going to build on it. How do we take care of it? Do we gift it to the Nelson City Council? Do we gift it to DOC, put a QE2 (covenant) over it? I’m saying ‘no boys, gift it to Ngāti Koata and we’ll put a kawenata over it and we’ll do the restoration ourselves because Ngāti Koata is not going anywhere. We will be here forever,” Mr Toia says.
Hemi Toia says the land has cultural significance.
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