81 Acres Bought For Sludge Farm

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32234, 28 February 1970, Page 1

81 Acres Bought For Sludge Farm

The Christchurch Drainage Board’s action under the Public Works Act to take 81 acres of land owned by Mr K. S. Hartnell in Dyers Road had been discontinued as, after an approach by the owner, the board had acquired the land by private purchase, said the chairman of the board (Mr F. R. Price) yesterday.

Mr Price said that it would therefore be unnecessary to continue the adjourned hear ing of the objections to the taking of Mr Hartnell’s land, including that of the Christchurch City Council. Mr Hartnell objected to the board’s taking his land on the ground that the board did not need it In the course of the hearing, through counsel, Mr Hartnell argued that the land, although zoned rural, was worth more than the price at which the board proposed to take it because of its residential potential.

I The City Council objected i to the board’s taking the land ■ because it is not zoned for i sludge farming under its dis- , trict review scheme. The board seeks about 300 acres of land adjacent to its > sewage plant at Bromley to I dispose of treated sludge I from the oxidation ponds by ' spreading it and farming the I land It had already acquired I some of the land sought be ! fore Mr Hartnell objected to his land being taken and the . City Council objected on the ground of zoning.