Local bodies bid to retain wetland site

Press, 6 September 1989, Page 9

Local bodies bid to retain wetland site

By

KAY FORRESTER

and

SUZANNE KEEN

Three of the local bodies which will merge into the new Christchurch City Council have given a clear indication they want 51.9 ha of Travis Swamp saved.

Representatives of the City Council, Waimairi District Council and Christchurch Drainage Board met on Monday, with representatives of the Conservation Department, Landcorp, and the D.S.I.R.’s Botany Division. The meeting made four recommendations, including the support in principle of the retention of a general area identified by the D.S.I.R.’s Dr Colin Meurk and the Conservation Department. It recommended the department participate in the purchase negotiations in consultation with the

Drainage Board, the North Canterbury Catchment Board, Dr Meurk and Landcorp. It also recommended Ministerial involvement in the transfer of Landcorp land in the swamp to the department. The other recommendation turned the question of Travis Swamp over to the transitional committee for the new council. Committee meetings of the two councils yesterday endorsed those recommendations. Waimairi’s works, reserves and traffic committee favoured the retention of the wetlands area.

Christchurch city’s parks and recreation committee added two recommendations. The first was that the new council use the Local Government Act to require the owner to preserve the wetland. Mr Poma Palmer, of the department, explained that the water right excluding the development of 34ha of Travis Swamp land by Travis Estates, Ltd, did not require the preservation of the land. “It simply means it cannot be developed.” The second recommendation was that a wetland

reserve south of Travis Road on City Council land not be pursued. The local bodies agree that a larger area than the 34ha in the water right decision should be saved. The total wetland area of 51.9 ha comes from 22.1 ha owned by Travis Estates, 27.9 ha owned by Landcorp, o.sha by the City Council and I.4ha of paper road. When land exchanges for roadways are taken into account the total area Travis Estates is being asked to preserve is 23.5 ha. The subdivider is pre-

pared to sell the land to the council. Landcorp has also indicated it is willing to sell its slightly larger holding of land. Under the Local Government Act if the subdivider is required to set aside the area as a reserve than compensation must be paid. If the council uses another section of* the act it can require the developer to preserve the natural landscape as a condition of approval of the scheme plan for the subdivision. The city surveyor, Mr Kit Iversen, recommended the latter.

Where the funds for the purchase of the wetlands area would come from has yet to be determined. Waimairi District’s chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray, suggested yesterday it could be a joint effort between the Conservation Department and the new council. She welcomed the decision to preserve 51.9 ha for a wetland reserve. “It’s a good balance to preserve what is important for the future and acknowledges the need for residential development. The reserve will enhance the Burwood/ Parklands area.”