Takapuna Golf Club, currently faced with the threat of closure, has unveiled an alternative flood management design that would both protect surrounding communities and allow the course to remain operational.
The innovative “dry storage basin” concept would match the council’s flood protection goals by storing up to 550 million liters of water during severe weather events—equivalent to 220 Olympic swimming pools—while preserving the historic golf facility.
Auckland Council had proposed transforming the AF Thomas Park (Takapuna Golf Course) into a wetland following the devastating 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods, which claimed two lives and destroyed 131 homes in the nearby Wairau and Milford suburbs.
The golf club’s alternative design, created by renowned golf course architect Kristine Kerr, strategically contours fairways to temporarily store and release floodwater. The plan includes 1.8km of cycling and pedestrian paths, 20 hectares of native planting, and potential links to the Northern Pathway.
Ryan Pitkethley, Director of engineering at CivilPlan Consultants, explained how the solution exceeds council objectives: “What makes this solution particularly viable is that it doesn’t just meet Auckland Council’s flood management goals, it enhances them by integrating additional ecological benefits, recreational space, cycling and pedestrian pathways.”
Pitkethley suggested the dry basin might be more effective than wetlands for managing flood events, noting that permanently wet areas may not be ideal for handling sudden deluges. He also indicated the golf club’s proposal would likely cost the same or less than the council’s wetland plan, with the added benefit of generating revenue to maintain the park.
At Thursday’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meeting, Takapuna Golf Club planning advisor David Haines acknowledged the critical need for flood protection while highlighting the club’s inclusive nature compared to other facilities with lengthy membership waiting lists.
The Milford Residents Association expressed urgency rather than preference for either solution, with co-chair Debbie Dunsford sharing stories of traumatic rescues during the 2023 floods, including a 90-year-old woman evacuated in a wheelie bin. Fellow co-chair Norma Bott emphasised residents’ need for assurance: “The longer it takes, the more lives you put at risk.”
