Newspaper Article 1994 – Council locked in emotional debate

Council locked in emotional debate

Hastings district councillors were locked today in an emotional debate which split the rural and urban representatives on the future direction of housing development.

All made impassioned pleas for what they believed would be in the best interests of future generations.

At the centre of their arguments is land described as some of the most fertile in the world.

Cr Ralph Beamish said anyone who built houses on productive land was a fool.

“I have no difficulty in working out where I came from. In Europe there would be a protection order on this land and we wouldn’t be allowed to build on it,” Cr Beamish said.

He described the Hastings district as a garden of Eden or oasis.

Cr Harvey Boyden said the quality of the soil was “god given”. It had to be preserved.

He produced an example of the type of tomato crop that could be grown on the best land and that which was grown on lesser land.

Cr Colin Shanley said the council was in a predicament.

“It’s not very often I stand before this council tongue-tied.”

Cr Beamish and Cr Judith Baxter said development should take place in the south-west of Hastings.

Deputy mayor Harry Romanes said some form of urban development was required to maintain Hastings as a viable community.

“We will come from different points of view on the areas of contention. One has to consider the social and community implications of what we are bringing in,” Cr Romance said.

Cr Shanley said the council would be acting in haste if it moved on the recommendations of the Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner report today.

There was still a lot to do. The council should meet the people who could be affected by Beca’s recommendations and ascertain their views.

Cr Megan Williams also said the council must not rush its decision.

There should be a long-term vision. She is against the use of fertile land for housing.

The possibility of establishing a satellite suburb was raised by several councillors. This option was discounted by Beca.

Cr Beamish said the challenge for council was to establish another good suburb.

Cr Shanley agreed. He said a long-term vision was required.

Cr Mike Donnelly said the council must prepare for a new suburb. “Sometimes the hard solutions are the best.”

Mayor Jeremy Dwyer said he felt it was not yet time for another suburb in the district.

Beca’s report came under attack from several councillors.

“It is $107,000 worth of Auckland views and isn’t practical as far as we are concerned, ” Cr David Law said.

Cr Beamish said he was disappointed in the report.

Mr Dwyer stuck up for Beca: “Criticism of the consultants is paper thin. Don’t blame the consultants.”

Plan open to options

Hastings district councillors were today offered compromises to the use of top horticultural land in the Lyndhurst Rd area for housing.

Consultants Beta Carter Hollings and Ferner said that although using Lyndhurst for urban development was still its preferred option to satisfy the bulk of Hastings city’s housing needs for the next 25 years, there were other options.

These included directing more housing to Havelock North, encouraging development at Irongate/York or investigating whether Napier could satisfy demand.

It was also suggested that the amount of land recommended for houses at Lyndhurst could be reduced. At present 70 hectares are mooted for subdivision.

Beca senior Don Lynn said councillors had the option of not allowing any development on the prime soils. But he felt this was not feasible because technical investigations had failed to identify other land on the Hastings periphery with soils of low productivity that offered the same advantages as Lyndhurst.

“The complete elimination of Lyndhurst without the availability of a viable long-term alternative may have significant negative multiplier effects on the district’s social and economic welfare,” Mr Lyon said.

“The full Lyndhurst option is preferred because it provides a medium to long-term solution on the Hastings fringe and is delineated clearly identifiable urban limits formed by the motorway alignment to Lyndhurst Rd.”

The removal of Lyndhurst would leave a shortfall of between 700 and 800 houses during the next 25 years. This is the equivalent of 65 per cent of the needs of the city.