Fresh legal action is being taken in the wrangle over Ports of Auckland's controversial expansion plan of Bledisloe Wharf.
Under the plan, the two sides of the Bledisloe Terminal (foreground) would be built 98 metres further into the harbour, with the port later hoping to reclaim the space between them. Photo: SUPPLIED / Ports of Auckland
Opponents have already made a failed legal bid to stop the plan and the council, which owns the company, has also called for a halt to the project until a wider port study is carried out.
Auckland student and Stanley Bay resident Carol Banks has filed papers in the High Court seeking a judicial review of the port company's plan to continue with the work.
Ports of Auckland chair Graeme Hawkins said on Friday the company was standing by its intentions, and said he would resign if the project could not go ahead.
Opponents have said extending the wharf would make that part of the Waitemata Harbour too narrow, and ruin views from the city.
The port company said it would have to start turning away ships if the wharf was not extended.
Ms Banks' case was expected to be heard on Tuesday.
Response sought from port company
Mayor Len Brown said he would be conveying his disappointment to Mr Hawkins that the debate over the wharf extensions was being played out in the media.
The council has been waiting for nearly a month for its port company to formally respond to a request to halt the extensions until a wider port study is carried out.
The mayor said he had now asked for that response by Tuesday.
Mr Brown said there would be a closed door discussion with councillors on Tuesday, involving senior legal and governance advisors, and any decisions needed would be made at Thursday's council meeting.
Mr Hawkins said the board had seven or eight legal opinions, supporting the directors' obligations to act in the best interests of the port company rather than the best interests of the owner.
