Views sought on road stalls

Press, 12 July 1988, Page 7

Views sought on road stalls

By

SUZANNE KEEN

Fruit and vegetable growers in the Waimairi District will soon be asked for their opinions on controls regulating roadside produce stalls. At present the Waimairi District Council’s planning scheme controls the range of produce that can be sold from “rural selling places.” However, during recent months there has been concern from some growers and retailers about its lack of enforcement.

The district planner, Mr David Hinman, said that

although most of the 70 roadside produce stall owners in the district were supposed to sell only fruit and vegetables grown on their property, some bought it from the market and from other growers. The council has decided to put out a questionnaire to gain wider views on the desirability of relaxing present controls. It will be circulated to all growers and organisations such as the Canterbury Retail Fruiterers’ Association.

tyr Hinman said that

the controls had been in force since the early 19605, when growers were first given the right to sell their surplus produce from the roadside.

“I suppose the limitation was there to prevent rural supermarkets popping up all over the place and causing traffic problems and so on.” Similar controls on roadside produce stalls have gradually been relaxed in other parts on the country.

Growers who have existing use buy-

in produce to sell on stalls are the most upset at seeing others flouting the regulations. One grower told a council sub-committee that the main reason he had bought his Marshland Road property was that it had existing-use rights.

He said the council had two clear options, to either have no rules or requirements, or to enforce the existing requirements.

Another grower said that gate sales were necessary to keep his

business viable. Cr Brian Shackel asked whether the “public interest” meant giving the public the best buying opportunities at the best possible prices. He also thought there was a need to consider factors such as signs advertising the stalls, the importance of effective traffic safety measures and the question of the council having to employ considerable resources in the “unrealistic policing” of the present District Scheme requirements.