Mayoral Candidate on Owhiro Bay rezoning
28/04/2010 2:04:00 p.m.
WHILE water-quality at Owhiro Bay has been given the all clear, “council-quality” remains dubious, says mayoral candidate Allan Probert.
Last week the Environment Court rejected a proposed housing development in Owhiro Bay after residents challenged the Wellington City Council, and won.
The council had wanted to rezone two properties to make them easier to sell.
Probert is calling for greater transparency and says the Owhiro Bay issue strikes at the heart of what it wrong with council.
“The council was not prepared to discuss [the rezoning] with locals. This shows it goes into consultation with a decision already made. There is a long record of it loosing these [court decisions].”
Thousands of dollars in legal fees could have been saved if council had listened to strong local opposition, says Probert.
Council spokesperson Richard MacLean says residents have been at loggerheads for a long time with the council over Owhiro Bay.
“This rezoning went against the wishes of some people. Some people approved of the idea, and some have been fighting it for years,” MacLean says.
Probert says legal costs ran into six figures, and the council had been warned by experts that the “case was shaky”.
MacLean says the costs incurred are part of running a democratic government, and going to court is a final port of call.
He says the WCC is considering appealing the decision but is “in no great rush to do anything”.
Last week the Environment Court rejected a proposed housing development in Owhiro Bay after residents challenged the Wellington City Council, and won.
The council had wanted to rezone two properties to make them easier to sell.
Probert is calling for greater transparency and says the Owhiro Bay issue strikes at the heart of what it wrong with council.
“The council was not prepared to discuss [the rezoning] with locals. This shows it goes into consultation with a decision already made. There is a long record of it loosing these [court decisions].”
Thousands of dollars in legal fees could have been saved if council had listened to strong local opposition, says Probert.
Council spokesperson Richard MacLean says residents have been at loggerheads for a long time with the council over Owhiro Bay.
“This rezoning went against the wishes of some people. Some people approved of the idea, and some have been fighting it for years,” MacLean says.
Probert says legal costs ran into six figures, and the council had been warned by experts that the “case was shaky”.
MacLean says the costs incurred are part of running a democratic government, and going to court is a final port of call.
He says the WCC is considering appealing the decision but is “in no great rush to do anything”.
