Tougher law sought

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 1

Tougher law sought

The Paparua County Louncil is again seeking tougher legislation to control car-wrecking yards. In the past the council has lobbied the Minister of Justice (Mr Thomson) for stronger controls on the siting of wrecking yards, but has had little success. According to the council’s county planner (Mr K. G. Lawn), wrecking yards have been sited contrary to the council’s district planning scheme. In its latest move, the

council has prepared a remit for next year’s Counties’ Association conference. Th r remit asks that the proposed site for a wrecking yard comply with the Town and Country Planning Act, 1977, befor a licence to run a yard is issued by the Magistrate’s Court. Mr Lawn said yesterday that many wrecking yards in the Paparua County were established without the “necessary planning application.” These firms could be piosecuted but the council

had found this to be a waste of time. “Taking the-e firms to court is a long and expensive ousiness,” Mr Lawn said. “In one case it took two years and huge legal costs to get one firm to court, and then it was fined only $50.” Although Mr Lawn was not sure of the number of wrecking yards working in the county that were breaking the town-plan-ning regulations, he said there were many in the urban area and on the rural fringe.