Regional planners get caution on appeals

Press, 12 May 1981, Page 6

Regional planners get caution on appeals

Canterbury United Council planning appeals again came under attack yesterday from some members of the regional body.

While some councillors said that they were surprised by recent Planning Tribunal decisions which allowed houses in rural zones, other councillors said that the Un- , ited Council would have to be more careful about what matters it appealed.

“I do think the writing is on the wall.” said Cr E. C. Britnell. “An appeal should be the last resort. Perhaps we are not. quite sure of what we are doing in some cases.”

The regional planning committee chairman (Mr D. B. Rich) said that. matters considered of regional significance should be studied closely. “But we have to be

sure we are not pursuing matters frivolously.” A letter from the Kangiora District; Council said that that body Was Unhappy about paying more than $5OO in legal expenses because of an unsuccessful appeal brought, by the United Council- about one of its decisions. “The council feels it made the right decision, and wonders why it should cost somuch to make the right decision,” said Cr T. M. Inch. “We are not going to be right every time,” said Mr Rich. The United Council could not be awarded appeal costs when its viewpoint Was upheld by the Planning Tribunal, and. the reverse — the paying of appeal costs by the United Council in unsuccessful cases — should not be. expected, the committee said,

Cr M. R. Carter said there .had': been far too many ; ’’costly appeals” over the years. ■Ways to get the United Council more involved in the fight against unemployment will be studied by a working group. ; ... ■ -. The United Council chairman (Cr C. N. MacKenzie) said that there were jobcreation opportunities, but somebody was needed to pinpoint and organise them. Mr J. H. Gray, the regional body’s principal officer, said that the United Council was a unique way of bringing together rural and urban expertise, and it could-be more active in seeking out new. job opportunities. i “This is our most compel- . ling social-problem,” he said. People were needed to ■bring together land, skills, idea's and capital in new work ventures.