Injunction over ’copter flights

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 1

Injunction over ’copter flights

Two groups of New Brighton residents on Thursday served an injunction on the Christchurch City Council in the High Court in an attempt to stop helicopter flights along the New Brighton foreshore.

The South New Brighton Residents’ Association and the New Brighton Action Committee want the question of continuance of the flights decided before a planning tribunal hearing. A spokesman for the residents’ groups, Mr W. D. Jarman, said any tribunal hearing date set by the Court would probably be several months away.

Mr J. R. Milligan will appear for the residents at the tribunal, said Mr Jarman. The injunction will be served this week-end on Garden City Heliflights, which runs the helicopter service.

In addition, the residents have sent a formal letter of complaint about the helicopter service to the City Council, signed by Mr Thomas Starr, of Marine Parade,

who lives alongside the helicopter pad. “The 1982 Noise Control Act states very clearly that responsibility is with the council to enforce noise control regulations,” said Mr Jarman. “Monitoring by the City Council noise control officer has shown the noise as being excessive, and the complaint asks that the council take immediate action."

Mr Starr said that he was complaining about the helicopter taking off outside his sitting-room. He said it took off every 10 to 15 minutes at week-ends.