A west Auckland community is in fear its historic park will be developed into residential housing.

A petition is being launched on Saturday asking the Government to gift Bomb Point in Hobsonville to Auckland Council, which cannot afford to buy it after rezoning it as residential.

Action Committee chair Grant Dixon says 30,000 people live within a couple of kilometres of the park.

"There are going to be a lot of people here, and we need places to walk around, have recreation and walk dogs and so forth. We're in danger of losing the most significant park here."

A community meeting is being held at the end of Rangihina Rd at 10am.

Dixon says the park is important to the whole of Auckland.



"A lot of people come from outside the area to walk in this park - it's a very popular park. So it's a loss to the whole of Auckland, not just to us."

Developers building homes in the area told NZME last year it would remain a reserve, but with a housing shortage across the city, there are concerns it won't.

Dixon says the issue's been dragged out too long.

"It's been going on far too long. We need a decision. We need to be told the land is now owned by Auckland Council. If that happens, we'll have a bit of a party here."

The land is currently owned by Homes Land Community, a subsidiary of Housing New Zealand. It's been earmarked as a future council reserve for almost a decade, during which time land prices have skyrocketed.

Newshub.