The construction of a 279 home canal-front development in rural South Auckland has been rejected by the Environment Court, after a lengthy planning process.

Redevelopment of a section of land along the Wairoa River near Clevedon has been proposed for years by various companies, from a 1100 township in the 1990s and a 375-berth marina in the 1980s.

Both of those were rejected and now the latest scheme has met the same fate.

Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the 20-plus year saga of the future of land at Clevedon’s Wairoa River.

It is the first day of a hearing at the Environment Court over Westminster Properties’ proposed 279-home development at the area’s manmade canals.

A succession of developers have proposed building concepts for the area since the 1980s when a 375-berth marina was rejected by locals and the Environment Court, followed by a 1100 home development turned down in the 1990s.

The site is 4.5km from Clevedon village.