Newspaper Article 1994 – Farmers to fight for fertile land

Farmers to fight for fertile land

By Mike Tod
Staff reporter, Hastings

Hawke’s Bay farmers and horticulturists began preparing today for a battle to prevent houses being put on 70ha of top growing land in the Lyndhurst Rd area of Hastings.

The executive of Hawke’s Bay Federated Farmers was to meet in Hastings and discuss a strategy.

The chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers Federation, David Mardon, said a lobbying campaign was being planned to help defeat a recommendation by consultants Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner that the land be used for housing.

Mr Mardon said the association’s campaign would be done in conjunction with the Hawke’s Bay Land-Users Group.

The Hastings District Council will meet on February 24 to discuss the report.

Mr Mardon said fruitgrowers wanted the “elite” soils of the district protected.

“These soils are too valuable a resource to fritter away. They are in short supply world-wide. We don’t know what product down the line could be grown here,” he said.

Mr Mardon said it might be time to “put a circle around Hastings” to protect the remaining top-quality land. Housing development could be allowed in a few small areas where the land did not have such high productive potential. There was also room for further development in parts of Flaxmere and Havelock North.

An incentive had to be given for subdivision of existing house sites too.

The chairman of the council’s rural community board, Derek Brownrigg, said he opposed any move that would result in a loss of production in the Lyndhurst area.

“Hastings was founded on the fertile land around it. The biggest majority of the employment comes from agricultural, pastoral, horticultural and viticultural activities. We cannot just throw it (the land) away,” Mr Brownrigg said.

“Once you have got houses on it, you can’t go back. The council has a responsibility to our district and New Zealand. Without this sort of land New Zealand is nothing on the world map.”

Mr Brownrigg said there was already a shortage of fertile land in the district. Food processing companies were having to look at other regions for crops. The council should be trying to protect Hastings land to encourage companies to keep their business here.

Mr Brownrigg hoped the rural community board would decide at its Monday meeting to recommend the council not allow houses on the Lyndhurst Rd land.

More oppose plan

The chance of Beca Carter’s Lyndhurst Rd recommendation being adopted by the council appears to be shaky.

Three more councillors indicated today they would be voting against it. Cr David Law, Cr Ralph Beamish and Cr Harvey Boyden joined Cr John Campbell in the opposition camp.

Cr Beamish said he was confident the opponents would win.

“I think we have just got to stand firm. Why does Hastings exist? It’s because of the agricultural production. Every little bit we take out makes it worse,” he said.

People need good places for houses. That’s admitted. But they don’t need the very best. That’s where people don’t seem to realise the difference. That land is the very best.”

Cr Beamish said crops could be planted in the Lyndhurst Rd area a couple of weeks earlier than almost anywhere else in the district. Consequently, they were harvested sooner.

He said he felt let down by the Beca Carter report.

“I think the report’s a little disappointing in that it makes the point of protecting the fertile land, but then it says take it.”

Cr Law said he would oppose the recommendation. Housing should be concentrated toward Havelock North or Irongate Rd. It should be market-led, but not on to top land.

He said he was disappointed consultants had been hired to do the report. The council had staff who were extremely capable and could have done the work. There was also a lot of knowledge within the district that could have been used.

Cr Boyden said alternatives to Lyndhurst Rd must be found. The availability of top cropping land was not high.

Mayor Jeremy Dwyer said the debate would be intense, but suggestions that councillors would automatic all separate into opposing camps depending on whether they were urban or rural were misguided.

Mr Dwyer said he would not give his view on the report’s recommendations until the council meeting on February 24.

He said that even if the recommendations were adopted, changes to the district scheme would be required. This process would give people another chance to express their views.

Target Homes director Robin Bell said not letting the development of Lyndhurst Rd go ahead would be like a noose around the neck of Hastings.

“There will be just nowhere for Hastings to grow.” he said.

Photo captions –

Mr Mardon…elite soils.

Cr Beamish