Marlborough scheme to be changed

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33816, 12 April 1975, Page 1

Marlborough scheme to be changed

(From Our Own Reporter/ HAVELOCK, April 11. The planning committee of the Marlborough County Council, having correctly gauged public opinion on the provisions of its proposed district planning scheme, is to recommend to its council that variations to the scheme be made.

This decision was disclosed by the committee’s chairman (Mr M. E. Dick) at a meeting of about 180 farmers, land-owners and residents of Havelock and the surrounding area at Havelock this afternoon.

The outcry which greeted many provisions of the

scheme, particularly those affecting owners of rural holdings under 20 hectares and those with sections in the Marlborough Sounds, are recognised by the planning committee in its recommendation.

The county staff are to be instructed to prepare variations for consideration before the closing of objections on June 6, and to engage any further assistance required. The full text of the recommendation to the council as read out to the meeting today was:

“That the council recognises that planning for the district should not only be in the best interests of the district and the country, but should also be largely acceptable to the community of that district. It is obvious that some provisions of the proposed scheme, notablv those relating to the retention and reclamation of good farm land, are not acceptable to a large part of the community, and therefore it is recommended that the council reexamine various provisions, particularlv those related to the aforementioned matters, with a view to bringing down variations to its scheme in a manner which, while not ignoring the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act, is obviously more acceptable to the community at large. Such variations are also to correct the various anomalies in other situations which have arisen since the adoption of the scheme. “To this end it is recommended that the council staff be instructed to prepare variations for council’s consideration before the closing of objections, and to engage any additional assistance necessary to ensure the expeditious preparation of such variations.”

Today’s meeting was another lively one, but on this occasion the audience gave council speakers (Mr Dick,

and the county chairman, Mr W. E. Bownj an attentive hearing, which they did not receive last Wednesday night at Blenheim.

The meeting decided to form a committee to represent those in the Marlborough Sounds, and county spokesmen said that they welcomed this step.