Tavern plan draws objections

Press, 25 August 1983, Page 6

Tavern plan draws objections

About 150 residents attended a meeting organised to protest hgainst plans to build a neighbourhood tavern in Centaurus Road.

The meeting, at the Beckenham Scout Den, elected a 10-member committee to organise further action and to seek legal advice on procedures for objecting to the scheme.

Industrial Holdings, Ltd, seeks town-planning permission to build the tavern on commercial land by the Centaurus road shopping centre. The tavern would be built in “a traditional English pub” style, said Mr Michael Brooks, an Industrial Holdings executive, after the meeting. Objections to the tavern were outlined in a petition of 170 signatures addressed to the Heathcote County Council. Objections were that:

• The tavern would add to the already increased traffic volume caused by the development of the shopping centre. • It would cause property values in the area to be severely reduced and lower the standard of the area in general. • Problems experienced with taverns in other areas should be taken into consideration, especially traffic noise levels and residents’ safety. • The area was already well serviced by three hotels and a private club.

However, the meeting was told the correct procedure for objecting to the planning application was to fill out the Objection to a Notified Application form provided by the council. The Heathcote County engineer, Mr D. J. May, told the meeting that the council would treat the tavern application as any other routine application subject to the Town Planning Act. “The council can only make its decision on the basis of information it received,” he said.

The president of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Temperance Alliance, Mr Ray Spring, also addressed the meeting. He said that in spite of assurances to the contrary, the tavern would be owned by a major brewery.

Mr Brooks was at the meeting but was not invited to speak. He said afterwards that he felt there was a need for the tavern.

“I don’t regard the objections of the Temperance Alliance on the grounds that people shouldn’t drink as having any relevance whatever,” he said. Mr Brooks said he was not sure how strong the objections to the tavern were but he would be keeping his options open. Objections to the building of the tavern close on September 7, and the Heathcote County Council will then set a date for a hearing of the application and objections.