Proposals for a marina development on the western side of the Kaituna River mouth are threatened by regional council plans to increase river flows through the Maketu estuary.

The BOP Regional council voted in October to pursue a policy of returning the river's flow back along its historical path, the Papahikahawai Channel just behind the foredune, and Ford's Cut.

The river originally broke out at Te Tumu in 1907. From 1926-56 its flow was returned through Maketu estuary via the two channels.

The diversion at Te Tumu was recut in 1956 as a flood relief measure. All flow through the estuary was cut off, causing a deterioration in the estuary and subsequent calls from the Maketu community for at least part of the Kaituna River flow to be re-diverted back into the estuary. The regional council is a partner to and major player in the development and implementation of the strategy.

The regional council is pursuing a policy of restoring the river's full flow through the estuary. It is aware of recreational boating and fishing interests, but they are not a priority, and the report casually discusses closing access to the entrance and blocking public access to the cut as an option.

'Navigability of the Te Tumu cut while poor is satisfactory, understood and accepted by local boaties and fishermen,” the report states. 'The Te Tumu landowners group and Ford Land Holdings on the western side of the entrance have plans to create a marina style development in the future that will rely on access through Te Tumu.

'Changes to water flows into/out of the estuary at Fords Cut may impact the morphology and this understanding and expectation. While the status quo is not ideal they will likely oppose any project that reduces its serviceability unless a suitable alternative is provided.”

A spokesman for Ford Landholdings wishes there was a little more communication and consultation from the regional council. The longer term plan is to build a town of about 30,000 people on the land between the river and the sea at eastern Papamoa. That includes recreational amenities including water access.

Sketched in but not yet filed as a structure plan, is a canal-style marina development larger in scale than the one at Pauanui with access to the sea via a dredged and groined Te Tumu cut.