Tauranga marine precinct. Photo: LDR / Supplied
It was an overflowing courtroom in the High Court at Tauranga on Tuesday as locals were told the sale of the Tauranga marine precinct should not have come as a surprise to residents who "were widely consulted".
Last year, Tauranga City Council sold the precinct to Christchurch developer Sam Rofe.
However, the sale was paused at the eleventh hour after an interim injunction was granted by the High Court.
Justice Andrew was hearing arguments on an application for a judicial review of the sale.
Lawyers for the purchaser argued that numerous meetings were held with marine users and over the years the option to sell was openly discussed.
Lawyer Shane Campbell said what the applicant, marine precinct user Pacific 7, really wanted to achieve was to pressure the council into cancelling the contract with their client.
"This proceeding has been brought on an admitted basis for trying to bring overt pressure to bear on elected officials to exercise what they say are cancellation rights," Campbell said.
Justice Andrews pushed back on this and asked whether the applicant was simply asking to hold Tauranga City Council to account.
"That's entirely legitimate isn't it, in a democracy?" the justice asked.
Outside the court, locals disagreed that there had been wide consultation and said they wanted justice for ratepayers.
"We haven't been included, there has been no consultation," said one.
Another said that it felt like a very small group of people were playing monopoly with the city.
Justice Andrew is expected to reserve his decision.
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