'Intimidaton' of objectors alleged

Press, 14 August 1980, Page 4

'Intimidaton' of objectors alleged

The chairman of the Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee, Mr J. M. McKenzie, was taken to task at a planning hearing last evening for “an attempt at intimidation” of objectors to the proposed Styx Mill Road transfer station site.

Recent reported statements by Mr McKenzie were "ill-informed, inaccurate, and quite misleading,” Mr A. Hearn, counsel for the Redwood Action Committee, told the Waimairi County Council’s rehearing over the 9ha. site. ,

The committee represents 1360 of about 1520 objectors at the rehearing before Cr I. Calvert (chairman), Cr E. L. Bonisch, and Cr H. M. Tait.

The rehearing follows a previous council decision that a requirement for designation by the metropolitan committee was null and void and the relodging of that requirement by five. Christchurch iocal bodies.

Rapid progress w,as again I made last evening as more of the evidence presented at the first hearing was taken as read and little added to it. Mr Hearn referred to a reported comment by Mr McKenzie that those who signed a petition against or objected to the site were likely to be liable for costs. “Such a statement, if made, in my view quite illbecomes a person who ultimately is elected by the people to do what is best for people as they see it and not as he sees it,” he said. The hearing committee had no jurisdiction to award costs, Mr Hearn said, referring to the reported intention that the metropolitan committee apply for costs against objectors. In his experience with planning matters covering 25 years he had not before known so many people to object against one proposal. Mr Hearn also questioned whether the five designating

bodies had financial responsibility for the construction of the station—a necessary condition if they were legally entitled to require the site designation. .. ; He noted that agreement between the bodies in 1978 had delegated to the metropolitan committee the right to buy land and construct buildings.

Mr Hearn submitted that the hearing committee’s decision could be no different from the previous one since no new evidence was being presented in favour of the proposed site. That point was made also by the county planner (Mr D. D. Hinman) in a report to the hearing. He noted that the previous decision held that “on balance” that evidence showed the site was not appropriate for the station.

That decision remained correct and had been strengthened against the suitability of the site by developments since then. Mr fi.

Hinman referred to a council purchase of land zoned for recreational purposes next to the proposed site, the green belt in the proposed Canterbury Regional Scheme, and a revision of rural zoning provisions in the county’s district scheme. The latter included protection for rural areas against "uses” such as the transfer station, he said. Reports by Mr Hinman and other council staff were accepted as read. Likewise, the action committee tendered two booklets of evidence already presented at the first hearing. In additional evidence for the action committee, Dr G. A. Britton said a major shift to a proposed alternative refuse disposal service for Christchurch could be made in three years. The proposed alternative scheme would use only the western transfer station, now under construction, and a number of skip bins as mini-stations, both of which

would cope with overflow from a full rubbish collection service.

Mr P. T. McCombs, a traffic engineering consultant to the action committee, gave evidence that available data showed “design” traffic volumes for the station were under-estimating springtime volumes in the area by at least 220 per cent.

The increase in vehicles on streets leading to the site would be unacceptable, he said.

Mr B. A. Le Fevre gave evidence for the committee that the over-all cost of the refuse scheme would be raised substantially by the actual costs of building the proposed transfer stations. The hearing received objections from a number of other groups and persons. The hearing will end this evening, two days pearlier than allowed for, with any other objectors having the opportunity to speak.;