Returning reclaimed Sulphur Point land closer to its original state is one of the benefits of the proposed Tauranga Marina extension for the facility's operators and local Maori.

The plan to add around 250 new berths at the southern end of the marina came to light as part of Tauranga Marina Society's opposition to the decision of a city council committee to support in principle the siting of the University of Waikato's marine research centre on open space in the current marina precinct.

The society had intended to keep the proposal under wraps until its AGM but felt obliged to reveal it as the university's plan progressed.

Marina manager Greg Prescott says the marina extension is urgently needed.

'We're just desperately short of marina berths in this town. The town's growing but boating is stagnant.”

Marina manager Greg Prescott

The Society's plan would be entirely self-funded from the sale of berth licences, and would see excavation of part of the council-owned reserve land south of its existing hardstand area and an extension to the breakwater on the western side of Sulphur Point.

Buddy Mikaere of local hapu Ngai Tamarawaho says they are completely behind the plan, and sees the area's return to something of its past as a big plus.

'We're in partnership on that proposal with the marina society,” he says.

'Before the reclamation it looked like a big fishhook coming out from below the Elms. It was a place that we used as a gathering place and to park up the waka. So it's a kind of a return to its original purpose as we see it.

The society's concept plan. Supplied image.

The opportunity for Maori to have their say is another appealing aspect, says Buddy.

'When they did the reclamation we didn't have the Waitangi Tribunal and that kind of thing operating so any wishes that we might have had were just totally ignored in those days. So it's an opportunity for us to return to where we used to be.”

Removal of the celestial compass, intended to demonstrate traditional Polynesian navigational methods, would be required for the development, but Buddy says that is not an issue.

'At night there's so much light coming from the port operation on the container wharf that it's pretty much useless.

'We have to find another location for it. One that doesn't have that same light spill.”

Greg says his society appreciates Ngai Tamarawaho's support.

'That's how we got to this point, because we had that iwi buy in.”

As well as addressing the marina's waiting list for berths of up to 30 years the chance to enhance the area for the benefit of the community is a key part of the plan.

'The contentious issue will be the perceived loss of public space,” says Buddy, 'but you'll see in the conceptual plan that there's a whole lot of ideas in there about how we might address that.”

'What we've tried to do is put things back in there which are going to involve a lot of public engagement, adds Greg. 'Like a cafe, a boardwalk and barbecue areas which are part of the marina so people can stand there and look over it.”

He also believes a location at the southern end of the new marina extension would be ideal for the University of Waikato's marine research facility.

'We'd be fine with it down there.”

The marina and the university could work quite well and support eachother, he says.

'They could launch their boats, and have marina berths.

'Down here (at their intended site in the current marina) they're not going to have any use of marina berths, slipways or anything.”

Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless says it's very early days for the proposal. He says he's open-minded on it, and can't say which way it will go.

'It may work. It may mix with the university thing because obviously they will need places for boats. But there's a lot of discussion to be had.”

He's adamant though ratepayers would not be out of pocket if the proposal goes ahead.

'I would not be supporting any form of cost. That would have to be key.”