Wilderland community representatives held urgent talks with Thames-Coromandel District Council yesterday in an effort to buy more time to upgrade their buildings.
The council is seeking a court order to evacuate and demolish all dwellings on the property, located on the upper reaches of the Whitianga estuary. The buildings did not meet health and safety requirements, the council said.
Wilderland is one of New Zealand's oldest co-operative communities. It was established by Dan and Edith Hansen in the 1960s for people wanting to help build an organic lifestyle.
In the '60s and '70s it attracted scores of hippies and became one of the country's best-known communes.
In 1987 the couple gifted the 64-hectare property to a charitable trust and for the past 23 years it has continued to run as an organic horticultural farm and educational community. At present there are seven permanent residents and a number of visitors.
Following Mr Hansen's death about three years ago, the community became embroiled in a bitter dispute with his daughter and Wilderland neighbour Heather Hansen. Her mother is in her late 90s and in ill-health.
In March 2009, Ms Hansen and her family tried to take over Wilderland, claiming to be its legal trustees. The council issued consents to them to demolish 13 buildings on the property.
The trust contested the Hansens' claims in the High Court and won their case in January this year. The council consents were withdrawn but in May, the council issued a notice to evacuate and demolish the buildings.
Since then, Wilderland and the council have been working on a solution to the problem but early this month the council advised it was proceeding with court action. If forced demolition went ahead, the trust might be required to sell land to pay for it.
Wilderland general manager Russel Mooyman said the community was stunned by the move.
The community had employed a consultant to advise them on upgrading the buildings and were preparing consent applications to do the work, he said.
Wilderland supporters were contributing money for the work and hundreds of them had written to the council.
Council chief executive Steve Ruru said the council acted after the community failed to provide a detailed schedule of work but the trust said it was not given enough time.
Mr Ruru said he was hopeful the trust could pull together an acceptable action plan and the council could present this to the court.
