Newspaper Article 1994 – Time wanted for land talks

Time wanted for land talks

The Hastings District Council is likely to defer its debate on adopting an urban development strategy to allow more time for public consultation.

Mayor Jeremy Dwyer said today he would seek approval from councillors at this afternoon’s committee matings to change the day of the debate from February 24 to March 10.

There needed to be more public consultation on the recommendations of the Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner report, specially the one that said 70 hectares of top growing land in the Lyndhurst Rd area should be used for houses, Mr Dwyer said.

“While I want the focus on Lyndhurst to be spread across all aspects of the report’s finding, I also want to provide an opportunity for the differences on the area to be directly exposed to one and other without formality or pressure,” he said.

To achieve this, Mr Dwyer will chair a public meeting at the council chamber on Wednesday.

“It is my observation that the respective sides in the debate tend to sit in splendid isolation from each other, and do not always appreciate the full gamut of balancing points that can and should be made.”

During the next two days, Mr Dwyer will send invitations to land-user groups, industry and the education sector and community organisations, to attend the meeting.