Council’s refusal to waive costs

Press, 16 July 1980, Page 11

Council’s refusal to waive costs

PA Dunedin The Lake. County Council has been asked to waive the $3500 costs awarded to it by the Planning Tribunal as a result of the. Rastusburn ski-field hearings and appeal. The request was made by the chairman of the Remarkables Protection Committee (Mr D. G. Jardine) of Remarkables station, Queenstown. But on learning this week that the committee will appeal to the High Court on the question of the costs, the council declined to consider Mr Jardine’s request.

The Lake County Council, which was "the respondent,* had asked for costs of $0649. The applicant company, the Mount Cook Group, asked for $31,689 and was awarded $5OOO.

Mr Jardine told the council that he thought the costs awarded against the committee, which were among the highest ever awarded under town and country planning processes, were penal and more in keeping with a decision of a criminal court.

In opposing the decision of the council, he said, the committee acted in accordance with 'he procedures laid down under the Town and Countiy Planning Act, and the professed aims of the district planning committee.

Town and country planning procedures are primarily designed to facilitate public participation. It is highly unlikel.. that this will be forthcoming in the future if these costs are established as a precedent,” said Mr Jardine.