Full Breakdown
Auckland Council Moves to Auction Former Pukekohe Chicken Farm Over Unpaid Rates
8/7/2026, 7:59:32 AM
Forced Sale of the Property
Auckland Council has scheduled a High Court rating sale of the former chicken farm at 2 Logan Road, Buckland for September 2. The sale follows a court order that the owner, van den Bogaart, pay more than NZ$100,000 in unpaid rates and related costs. The council has said the property has not paid any rates since 2012 and that the forced sale is a last-resort measure after failed negotiations.
Background of the Rate Arrears
Van den Bogaart, a 62-year-old former poultry farmer, first faced council action in 2017 after refusing to settle his rates. He claimed the land received no council services—no house, rubbish collection, potable water, or benefit from a rezoning that reduced its value. In 2020 he estimated his debt at over NZ$50,000 and argued the rates were being funneled into a “slush fund for Auckland City.” His counter-claim alleged negligence and a breach of the Local Government Act, but the court dismissed it in a judgment issued in October 2022.
Financial Details and Timeline
- October 2022: Court ordered van den Bogaart to pay $102,680.90 plus penalties.
- March 2023: Council registered a charging order against the 2.2-hectare site.
- September 2022: Trial took place; judgment favored the council.
- September 2 (scheduled): Property will be auctioned unless a settlement is reached.
The council’s 2024 capital value (CV) for the site is $2.2 million. No payment plan has been received, and the council has encouraged the owner to contact them before the auction date.
Council’s Position and Owner’s Opposition
Auckland Council group chief financial officer Ross Tucker said the council had made “exhaustive efforts” to resolve the debt but received no offer or payment. Van den Bogaart maintains that the rates are unjustified, demanding an itemised breakdown of services received, and insists he will not pay rates that he believes fund a “slush fund for Auckland City.”
Precedent and Potential Impact
This would be only the third forced rating sale in the super-city’s history. Earlier cases include a Northcote townhouse sold in April after a NZ$219,000 rates debt and a 2015 sale of a Manurewa home over nine years of non-payment. The council’s willingness to proceed with the Pukekohe farm underscores its policy of pursuing unpaid rates through legal means when negotiations fail, signaling to other ratepayers that prolonged arrears may lead to compulsory sales.
