The controversial Crafar farms sale took another twist today when a group of local iwi moved on to a Benneydale farm and called for their ''ancestral land'' to be returned.

The Benneydale property is one of 16 Crafar farms under offer from Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin.

The occupiers, who are not part of the Sir Michael Fay group currently challenging the Chinese deal, say they ''will not be going away''.

The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) is reconsidering aspects of its consent recommendation for Shanghai Pengxin to buy the farms, on the order of the High Court.

After judicial review proceedings brought by the Fay-led group of farmers and iwi, the High Court ruled the OIO in recommending approval of the Chinese bid to the Government, did not properly apply the economic benefit test in the Overseas Investment Act.