Bay Harbour: June 28, 2017

Wednesday June 28 2017
Latest Christchurch news at www.
.kiwi
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 7
News
KiwiRail back tracks over fee
• By Caitlin Miles
KIWIRAIL HAS apologised for
any upset it caused when Heathcote
property owners were told
they would have to pay for sheds
and fences that encroach on the
rail corridor.
About 50 Heathcote residents
were shocked earlier this year
when they
received a
letter from KiwiRail
saying
they needed
a “licence to
occupy” the
company’s
land at an
Ruth Dyson
annual rate
of $350 a year
with a yearly increase of two
per cent. The alternative was to
remove any private structures
on the land.
KiwiRail said the reason it had
told residents they needed the
licence was to understand what
the residents were doing on
their land to enure everyone was
safe.
However, MP Ruth Dyson
said KiwiRail has now “backed
down” after she met with the
company’s representatives at
the request of residents.
She said if KiwiRail wanted to
know what the land was being
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& Pip Anderson B.D.S (Otago)
Dental SuRgeonS
used for they simply “could have
asked”.
She said residents’ reactions
ranged from “slightly bemused
to being extremely angry” at
the letter received from the
company.
At the meeting, Ms Dyson
spoke to KiwiRail representatives
about the company’s approach
and discussed the
residents’ issues.
A KiwiRail spokesman
said the company acknowledges
there are issues with its
management of the
rail corridor and apologises
for any concern that has been
caused as a result of its approach.
As a result, the company plans
to hold a meeting with affected
residents to hear their concerns
and to discuss a management
plan for the corridor.
Ms Dyson said while she is
not sure what the company will
offer, she is “delighted they have
backed down” and are willing to
take another approach.
“I don’t think many (residents)
had much faith, but it is a great
result,” Ms Dyson said.
A time and date has not yet
been set for the meeting, but it
is expected to go ahead in
August.
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OFF TRACK: KiwiRail has apologised for the way it handled the
‘licence to occupy’ issue with residents and wants to look at
alternatives.
Big Sale
nOW On
We would like to say a big
thank you to all the locals
who purchased or just
called in to have a look
at our recent ‘pop up’
sale shop in Ferrymead.
We are now back at
our city store.
In Brief
HISTORIC REPAIRS
Repairs to two historic buildings
used by the Akaroa Museum are
nearing completion. Scaffolding
around the repainted 138-yearold
court house on Rue Lavaud
has been removed and a heat
pump been installed. The court
house’s audio visual equipment
has been upgraded so it can
be used as a theatre by the
museum. Customs house on
Rue Balguerie is also nearly
ready to reopen. Its external
chimney has been rebuilt and
is now supported by a steel
frame constructed within
the chimney. The barrier and
viewing windows, which
previously prevented visitors
from walking into the building,
have been removed and the
exterior has been repainted.
FUTURE OF BACHES
Privately-owned baches on
city council-owned land in
Taylors Mistake and Boulder
Bay may not be allowed to stay.
Heathcote Ward city councillor
Sara Templeton will head a
working party to determine if
the baches should remain and
under what terms. The legality
of the baches​ on public land has
been an ongoing issue. A report
from the working party is
expected to be presented to the
city council by September 30.
interior concepts
Durham Lane,
72 Orbell St, Sydenham
Phone 365 3523
www.cuchi.co.nz
CHCH FANZONE
ALL BLACKS v THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
THIS SATURDAY
POPLAR STREET FROM 5PM
BE THERE. BE HEARD.
ccc.govt.nz/chchhostcity