A ministry and at least two Acts of Parliament were involved.<\/p>\n
The University of Auckland’s Epsom campus for the Faculty of Education. Photo \/ Richard Robinson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sale is governed by Crown requirements: the Ministry of Education<\/a>, the Public Works Act and also the right of first refusal.\u201d <\/p>\n That right under Treaty of Waitangi settlements is a legal mechanism allowing iwi the first opportunity to buy or lease surplus Crown-owned land within their rohe ahead of any other sales to other parties in the public arena.<\/p>\n \u201cThis means there is a prescribed process which we are working through,\u201d Neale said.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment, there is limited use of the buildings on the campus (eg; early childhood centre) and we maintain security and basic maintenance on the campus to keep it safe and secure.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2024, the Auckland Council valued 74 Epsom Ave at $115m. <\/p>\n Act leader David Seymour organised a public meeting to discuss the property two years ago.<\/p>\n In 2024, Seymour wrote: \u201cI haven\u2019t started a church. However, over 200 people crowded the Mt Eden Village Centre for a public meeting about the future of the University of Auckland Epsom Campus.\u201d <\/p>\n The university was no longer operating there and development had long been signalled as part of its plan to consolidate its operations in the city, Grafton, and Khyber Pass, Seymour noted.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, there is considerable interest in how this land will be used in the future. Over the last five years, I have been meeting with the university leadership and other relevant parties.\u201d<\/p>\n Seymour told the Herald today the main objective of any sale from his perspective was to secure some of the land for two neighbouring schools.<\/p>\n Those are at the south end of the campus: Auckland Normal Intermediate and Kohia Terrace School.<\/p>\n \u201cThe schools wouldn\u2019t see it as expansion but keeping what they have. <\/p>\n \u201cThey have a paper road between them that allows people to walk there.<\/p>\n \u201cPart of the negotiations, as I understand it, is to keep some of the campus land for the schools. I\u2019m certain that there won\u2019t be as much land as everyone would like.<\/p>\n \u201cThe amount of money involved [to buy it] is stupendous, given the Government\u2019s current circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n As to what happens to the rest of the land, iwi under the T\u0101maki collective have the right of refusal.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development<\/a> had ruled itself out of buying it, Seymour said, which he backs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhether or not the iwi will buy it, I don\u2019t know. And there\u2019s multiple iwi groups,\u201d he said, naming Paul Majurey<\/a> and the five-iwi Marut\u016b\u0101hu collective as well as Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua.<\/p>\n Majurey did not respond to a Herald query about the iwi\u2019s potential interest in the land.<\/p>\n Seymour is due to meet Neale next month to further sale discussions.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a very long time coming, but sooner or later there will be a change. The Government can\u2019t afford to buy it for a giant park. <\/p>\n \u201cIts natural use will be housing and I\u2019m sure some people will have trepidation about iwi buying it but Ng\u0101ti Whatua are very astute developers who would do a good job.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Government could not stump up a quarter of a billion dollars to buy it,\u201d Seymour said.<\/p>\n In 2023, rangatira Ngarimu Blair of Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua \u014cr\u0101kei cited<\/a> the whenua\u2019s historical importance, reminding of whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga of his t\u012bpuna, although he did not use those words.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are keen to acquire as much of the site as possible, given we are the tangata whenua of that area and we have numerous highly valuable cultural sites within and near the site. <\/p>\n \u201cThe University of Auckland has profited enormously off our gifts of land since 1840 and we intend to ensure our people also finally receive some value from our ancestors\u2019 generosity,\u201d Blair told the Herald in November three years ago.<\/p>\n The Herald today asked Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua \u014cr\u0101kei if it was interested in the site.<\/p>\n Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua \u014cr\u0101kei Trust Deputy Chair Ngarimu Blair confirmed that. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Epsom site sits within our tribal rohe, Te Kahu T\u014dpuni o Tuperiri, and as such Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua \u014cr\u0101kei has a strong interest in the whenua and the opportunity to acquire the site.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is an established process that must be followed, so we are not in a position to comment further at this stage,\u201d Blair said. <\/p>\n Property records show the university\u2019s Epsom campus is<\/p>\n 33 Epsom Ave: $2.6m council valuation;111a Ranfurly Rd West; 74 Epsom Ave in a number of sections and deposited plans, $115m valuation;54 Epsom Ave: $2.6m.<\/p>\n Sandra Orr, general manager of school property services at the Ministry of Education, said queries about buyers – including iwi – needed to go to the university.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been engaged with the university regarding the disposal of their Epsom campus and an education requirement for some years. <\/p>\n \u201cOur interest is limited to some land to extend Kohia Terrace School to accommodate future growth. Those discussions are ongoing.\u201d<\/p>\nSimon Neale outside Hiwa at the city campus. He spoke about the sale of the Epsom campus. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n
David Seymour ran a public meeting in Epsom in 2024 to talk about the campus site and future uses. Photo \/ Alyse Wright <\/p>\n
T\u016btahi Tonu before its closing at Epsom Campus.<\/p>\n
Iwi have the right of first refusal to buy the Epsom campus property. Photo \/ File<\/p>\n
Paul Majurey of Marut\u016b\u0101hu. Photo \/ Dean Purcell<\/p>\n
Deputy Chair of the Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua Orakei Trust Ngarimu Blair.<\/p>\n