Call to fence land near Fendalton Mall

Press, 9 August 1985, Page 5

Call to fence land near Fendalton Mall

Land adjacent to the Fendalton Mall should be fenced to stop it being used for car-parking, the Waimairi District Council’s town-planning committee recommended yesterday.

Committee members were responding to a letter from the Association of Fendalton Residents which asked that action be taken. The association asked that the mall owners be required to comply with the conditions of the original specified departure, that is, the provision of a I.BM fence, and landscaping round the permimeter of the site.

This had been removed when the adjacent site was developed for car-parking purposes.

The Waimairi District Council began injunction proceedings last year to stop the development of this land for carparking pur-

poses, but the proceedings were abandoned when the mall owners agreed not to use the land until proper planning approval was given.

In the meantime, the owners agreed to erect a post-and-chain barrier. In May this year consent was declined by the Planning Tribunal for thd’ land 'to be used for car-parking.

pending the outcome of the District Scheme review. The Residents’ Association now considers that the council should take action to make the owners reinstate the original fence and landscaping. A council staff member told the meeting that the present fence erected by the mall owners was inadequate and that it was held together by baling twine. Two letters to the mall owners’ solicitor had failed to rectify matters. Cr John Hanafin said that the present rope was shifted at will, and drivers parked their cars where they wished. He said the council must insist that a more permanent fence be erected. Cr Brian Shackel said that it was ‘almost a determined effort” on the part of the mall owners to make the council look "foolish” on the matter.

The meeting decided to send the District Chairman. Mrs Margaret Murray, to meet the mall owners in the next 10 days, and for her to report to "the next council meeting. If no action was taken in that time, the council should consider taking further legal action to enforce construction of a fence, the meeting recommended. The convener of the Association of Fendalton Residents, Mr Earl Bennett, said after the meeting that he was disappointed with the committee’s decision. He said that the mall owners should be made to comply with the original specified departure — the erection of a I.Bm fence, and landscaping. A post-and-chain barrier was insufficient because it did not side the "derelict" land beside the mall. It would remain "an urban blight.” he said.