Public debate on pylons opposed

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 6

Public debate on pylons opposed

Christchurch City councillors are upset about a plan to take future discussions about the proposed BromleyMarshland power pylons oiit of public view.

The City Council had suggested that a local resident sit on the committee to consider submissions about the line and its route, hut that initial request has been turned down by New Zealand Electricity.

N.Z.E.’s district manager (Mr G. B. Collie) told the council that the inclusion of a local resident would be undesirable and unworkable. The special committee -

including Cr Rex Lester, chairman of the council’s public utilities committee — will consider about 60 submissions on the controversial project. Mr Collie has told the council that the pylon committee's work will be done in committee “to allow a free and frank exchange on the issues to take place." "The public have had their say in terms of the rules, and it is now time for their representatives to decide what is the best practical solution to the problem of

getting electric power supply to fhe north-east areas of Christchurch, and reinforcing supply to the existing Bromlev sub-station. ” he said.

City councillors said that that approach was not acceptable. Cr Lester said he had read Mr Collie’s letter 'with some alarm and surprise." Elected representatives had to ensure that the ability of local residents to comment was. not lost.

N.Z.E. would be asked to reconsider its stand. Public relations was vital if the pvlon project were to succeed.

"People have waited long enough." said Cr Noala Massey. "They need to know what is going on. I think the local people should call their own public meeting, and invite New Zealand Electricity to it."

Cr Lester said that a local resident should be in the group that considered the submissions.

“If not. the City Council must find an alternative way to make them known. " he said.

Mr Collie said last evening that it was "pretty, obvious"

why the closed-door approach should be made. "We have to think beyond the local people to the heeds of the area." he said. The committee had to decide whether a few people should influence the future of Christchurch.

He did not see how one local representative could speak for all those who had made submissions, or for the entire community.

Mr Collie said the committee would be acting under procedures laid down bv the Commission for the Environment.

Asked why the committee could not deliberate in public. Mr Collie said he could speak only from experience. At the previous public meeting last November, there had been people wanting to pass motions from the floor before they had even heard the proposal. He saw in-committee work as "a practical way of dealing with this. We want to consider fhe complaints in a dispassionate way.” he said. “They are certairiy not going to be handled lightly."