Mcleans Island ban again

Press, 12 August 1978, Page 5

Mcleans Island ban again

The North Canterbury. Catchment Board has decided to ban the public from its McLeans island plantations from October 8 this year to April 30 yext year. The board’s chairman (Dr W. R. Holmes) noted that the board was not keen about restricting public access to McLeans. Yet a considerable fire risk remained; it was extremely fortunate in that there had been no fires while wind-

blown timber was being salvaged. The board also decided at its meeting to review rentals on its leases at McLeans Island — held by the Coringa Country Club, the combined Christchurch workingmen’s clubs, the Christchurch Smallbore Rifle Club, and others. It will be the first time that the rental rates have been reviewed on the basis of recreational use; in the past the land was leased as

if it had been used for farming. It would be an “interesting exercise” to determine how the rentals should be levied, said Dr Holmes. Debating the review of the Heathcote County district scheme, the board agreed to take up possible objections with county officials and their planners before lodging firm objections. “We will have to make firm decisions on this Heathcote scheme before our

next meeting" said Dr Holmes. One worry was that rural land planned for residential rezoning might create “pressure” on remaining economic rural land for a similar change. The board praised Waimairi County for its scheme change which would effectively control the removal of topsoil, sand and shingle and the reshaping of existing sand dunes.