Concerns about helipad in neighbouring Auckland suburb

Opposition to a residential helipad in the central Auckland suburb of Westmere has met with support from like-minded residents in the neighbouring suburb.

The Herne Bay Residents' Association has expressed its understanding for Westmere residents who are concerned about noise, as well as the impact on birdlife and recreational opportunities, should permission for the use of helicopters be granted.

Former All Black Ali Williams and Richlister Anna Mowbray have submitted an application to Auckland City Council that would allow them two take-offs and two landings a day from a helipad on their residential property in Westmere.

The application will now be reviewed by an independent Customs Commissioner of Auckland Council, who must first decide whether the consent is notified and thus open to citizen input.

John Valentine, a long-time Westmere resident, is concerned about the impact a helipad would have on Coxs Bay, where his children and now grandchildren roam the foreshore at low tide.

“Our first emotional reaction was, 'Oh no, we can't take our granddaughters there anymore,'” Valentine said. “We're afraid of the noise and the downdraft that the helicopters bring.”

He and other residents were also concerned that a residential helipad in Westmere would lead to an increase in applications from Auckland's other coastal suburbs.

“It sets a precedent for the next public space. Next up is Point Chevalier once the Westmere water pipeline is finished,” Valentine said. “Then comes Te Atatū and then Birkenhead.”

Herne Bay is home to several helipads and residents' association co-chair Dirk Hudig said they had had to deal with complaints about noise and disorder over the years.

He says neighbors have described how social gatherings in the garden were disrupted by a helicopter landing nearby and there was often no indication of when the helicopter would take off again.

According to Hudig, property owners not only have to go indoors to escape the noise, but also sweep up the dirt and trash created by the downdraft.

“All these guys have to do is drive down the road to Mechanics Bay and they can take off at the right place,” Hudig says. “Or they can go to North Shore Airfield. There are other places they can use.”

In April, Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray submitted a report to Auckland Council in response to a request for further information. The report included independent expert opinions on ecology, noise and recreation.

The report states that no endangered birds were seen in Westmere's Coxs Bay at low tide, around the time the approved flights were scheduled to take place. The report also states that those affected by excessive noise have signed consents and that the negative impact on recreational activities such as walking and kayaking will be “minor”.

The final decision on the application – and who would have a say in it – was now in the hands of Auckland Council.