Bluff Hill Trust worried over land for sale on Bluff Hill

A Bluff conservation group is worried that the sale of 2.7ha of land might be brought by developers in the future.

However, the owner of the land says if they are concerned they should buy it.

Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust project leader David Swann said the trust had increasing concerns about the amount of land on sale on the hill, the latest being the 2.7ha.

It is concerned the land will be used for development, which could affect the colonies of titī’s and other wildlife on the hill. The trust has worked to restore native habitat and eliminate predators on Bluff Hill since 2008.

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The section of land is listed as price by negotiation, but Swann said when contacting the agent he was told the listed price was $1.2 million.

“To me that indicates the site is for development,” he said.

The trust has a management agreement with the Invercargill City Council and the Department of Conservation to undertake environmental restoration in the Bluff Hill area, and is the Awarua Rūnaka’s nominated kaitaki of the hill. This does not include the section of land up for sale.

Zora Boyd, who owns the land, inherited it from her late father in 1972.

The land was zoned as residential, only one dwelling could be built, and it could not be subdivided, Boyd said.

“It’s an impossible site to value because it’s so unique,” she said.

Boyd had never developed the land, and had decided to sell the block a few weeks ago, so she could purchase a house in Bluff to live in.

Boyd was “born and bred” in Bluff and plans to return to the town to retire.

She recognised the land was in a desirable location for conservation, and had contacted the Department of Conservation prior to putting the land on the market to see if it wanted to purchase it.

The Invercargill City Council had offered to purchase the property in the past, although Boyd had declined as its offer was well below the value of similar properties that had sold on the hill in that year.

Boyd did not believe the property would be used for development once sold, but welcomed the trust, DOC or other conservation entities to purchase the land if they were concerned.

“I think the council should just buy it, or DOC and put a beautiful look-out there with the [Fouveax] walkway at the bottom … or they [DOC, ICC and Bluff Hill Motupōhue Trust] could all pool together … that would make everyone happy, a win-win.”

She had not been contacted by the trust in regard to its concerns but said the trust’s manner of questioning her real estate agent was unjust.

Swann confirmed the trust had contacted the agent to say if the land was developed they would fight it.

The trust was looking to buy the land, but Swann said: “At that price point it would be difficult to crowd-fund … but in saying that, you couldn’t find a much better known place to set out to protect … if not for the native biodiversity and bird life … it’s the start of the Te Araroa trail … it should be an important place for all New Zealanders.”