Bexley benefit seen in demolition dumping plan

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 6

Bexley benefit seen in demolition dumping plan

Bexley residents should be told clearly why the Christchurch City Council was considering a proposal to dump demolition material between Pages Road and Estuary Drain, said the council’s parks and recreation committee yesterday. ; . Such material would be used to help build up the land for recreation development. .

Cr Noala Massey, the committee’s chairman, said that local residents had put up with the inconvenience of a rubbish tip for 25 years, and their opinions “must be considered at all costs.”

The council has a policy, instigated by neighbouring residents, against tipping any more rubbish north of the drain. Cr Geoff Stone said it must

be made clear that the spreading of excess demolition material from razed city buildings was “allocating hardfill, not dumping rubbish.”

He said the council had to “get the message across” that the work would enable the council to do something better and quicker to improve the area. It would not be detrimental to the environment.

How soon the material was covered . by other material after being levelled by a bulldozer would depend on parks department plans for developing the area for recreation, said Mr H. E. Surtees, the deputy general manager (works). He said the slope created by contouring the land would be only enough required for

natural drainage.

“The first consideration is that local people have to know what is going on,” said Cr Massey.

Residents needed a broader idea of the area’s long-term potential for flaying fields and recreation, said the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay.

Cr M. J. Glubb said that the council should decide according to the community’s long-term interests, not just on the basis of reactions of nearby residents. ■ “I think the local people will be a little concerned by what appears to be haste,” said Cr Massey. The matter was first raised on Monday before the resource recovery committee, which handles rubbish disposal matters.