The Estuary

Press, 6 September 1980, Page 14

The Estuary

Sir, — I understand that the New Brighton Power Boat Club has applied to the City Council- parks and recreation committee . to. ' increase its annual allocation of days for Estuary use, by an extra 20 days for speedboat practice. Apparently the club also wants an additional jetty to be built into the Estuary in a position about 200 metres south of the existing Pleasant Point jetty. Because such applications, if 1 granted, may cause further disastrous effects bn the park, the .shoreline, and the-Estuary ecology and that such matters fall directly within the 1979 Review of the Christchurch City Planning Scheme, which has hearings pending, may we have the assurance of the council that no decisions be made on such Estuary applications until the District Scheme becomes operative? — Yours, etc., J. M. INGLIS. • August 18, 1980.

[Mr J. H. Gray, General Manager and Town Clerk, replies:; “The New Brighton Power Boat Club has temporarily withdrawn its application for permission to test power boats on the Estuary before race days. However, the application is expected, to be resubmitted in the future and when received will be considered by the parks and recreation committee once, all relevant facts have been obtained. For the information of the writer, I. also offer the following: (a) The original application was’ for up to 20 days per year for testing boats as distinct from practice which infers longerperiods of use. (b) The. build*.

ing of an additional jetty has been under discussion for some time, the main reason being the need to shift the power boat course to enable easier and safer access to the Estuary by the yacht club and other Estuary, users, (c) The District Scheme establishes only a very broad framework for the use of the Estuary and By-law (No. 66) is the means by which the use of the Estuary is managed. In view of this there would be no reason to hold back a decision until the reviewed District Scheme becomes, operative.”]