Selwyn Times: February 26, 2020

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4 Wednesday February 26 2020 Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz SELWYN TIMES News Power bills should drop for winter Companies set to pass on Orion cut • By Jess Gibson SELWYN RESIDENTS could see a small drop in their power bills in time for winter. Electricity lines company Orion will be reducing its prices by an average of six per cent from April 1. The district council and Christchurch City Councilowned company distributes power to 204,000 homes and businesses in Canterbury. But whether the reduction in Orion’s prices is reflected in people’s power bills will be up to individual electricity companies. The reduction in Orion’s prices reflects a decrease of 7.4 per cent in its cost of distribution, partially off-set by a 1.4 per cent increase in transmission costs from the national grid operator, Transpower. Orion’s charges for distribution • From page 1 “You should also make sure it is trimmed low around power lines and don’t have electric fences up against the hedge.” There is a low chance of a fire starting in a shelter belt but if one breaks out in the surrounding areas, it will add fuel to the fire, Mrs Pring said. Mr Davies is a volunteer for Selwyn Gets Ready and a member of the New Zealand and transmission costs combined represent 36 per cent of the average household power bill. Consumer NZ head of research Jessica Wilson said the changes would shave an average of about $3 off a monthly power bill. She PROACTIVE: Mike Davies says he regularly trims his shelter belt to keep it thin and permeable which mitigates the fire risk. PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN ‘It will add fuel to the fire’ Farm Forestry Association in the Central Canterbury branch. He said he has a 30-year-old shelter belt that he keeps to about 1.5m thick. “It is tall and we’ve kept trimming it as hard as we can which keeps it permeable and the wind can pass through it. “Letting a shelter belt get short and squat is not achieving what people think they’re setting out to achieve,” he said. would expect the price drop to be passed through by energy retailers. “We would be very surprised if they were fudging the numbers and trying to use it as an opportunity to put up prices by an CHEAP HEAT: Power bills may drop in Canterbury for winter due to electricity lines company Orion reducing its prices. equivalent amount.” A Mercury NZ Ltd spokeswoman said the company will be passing on the reduction in lines charges for customers. “We will be communicating directly with our customers shortly about what this means for •For more information about Orion’s prices, visit www. oriongroup.co.nz/customers/ our-prices/ them and how it relates to their combined electricity charges.” Meridian Energy is also likely to drop its pricing. Said a Meridian spokeswoman: “We are still working through pricing but historically we have always passed through any changes by the network companies.” She said Meridian Energy will have an answer for customers within the next few weeks. A Contact Energy spokeswoman the company is working on price changes across the country but did not have anything to share in terms of its approach at the moment. Said Orion chief executive Rob Jamieson: “The key component of the price reduction is the lower interest rate environment, which the Commerce Commission has factored in to our cost of distribution.” Environmental projects under way AN ENVIRONMENTAL trust is working with the Department of Conservation on a number of environmental projects near Arthur’s Pass. The Waimakariri Environment and Recreation Trust is a stakeholder group assisting DoC with its work in the area. It includes installing fencing around Lake Lyndon, new facilities near Lake Pearson and the expansion of the car park at Kura Tawhiti, south of Castle Hill station homestead. Arthur’s Pass National Park senior ranger Chris Stewart said: “DoC very much appreciates the help it gets from community groups such as the WERT.” The trust deliberates on a wide range of topics, including major projects such as wasp control in the Craigieburn forest area, a management plan for Lake PROTECT: This cable and post barrier around Lake Lyndon is preventing damage to rare vegetation. Lyndon and feral cat control in the basin, trust secretary Helen Hamblin said. “The trust is involved in developments around Lake Lyndon, the closest natural fresh-water lake to Christchurch, and is assisting DoC in the writing of a long-term management plan,” she said. A more recent project targets feral cat control in the upper Waimakariri basin. “Locals have detected a big increase in their numbers over recent years and unfortunately it appears that dumped domestic cats are a major part of the problem.” Back in the summer of 2014/15, WERT member Penny Wright started the Craigieburn wasp control project. “It was successful, and control continues to this day,” Ms Wright said. The pressure on public land adjacent to State Highway 73 in the upper Waimakariri basin is increasing rapidly, and is in part being addressed in a great alpine highway plan, she said. Ms Wright said the group is a key stakeholder in implementing this plan.
SELWYN TIMES Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Wednesday February 26 2020 5 News GROWTH: Plans are under way for a new Countdown supermarket on Birchs Rd. PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN $ 50 gift card to be won in every store! Purchase a Halos Mandarins 460g Prepack and be in to win a $50 gift card. Flemington subdivision site chosen for new Lincoln supermarket • By Devon Bolger THE Countdown supermarket planned for Lincoln will be in the Flemington subdivision. Countdown’s head of property Matt Grainger said they are planning to build a 3000m 2 supermarket on Birchs Rd. If resource consent is granted, it would include 170 car parks and a cafe. Said Mr Grainger: “We’ve been looking for a suitable site in Lincoln for some while to help service this growing area and are very pleased to have found this great site on Birchs Rd. “It’s one of the fastestgrowing parts of the country, and we think a Countdown supermarket would be a valuable addition to the community and local residents’ grocery needs.” A district council spokesman confirmed they have received a resource consent application for the development. It is currently going through the consenting process, the spokesman said. Lincoln’s first supermarket, a New World, has been operating on Gerald St since 2005. But a booming population has led to rapid growth in the township. Figures released by analysts Infometrics earlier this month show Lincoln was the fastest growing town in the district last year, with its population increasing by 10 per cent to 7380 people. The national average of population growth in the last year was 1.6 per cent. The announcement for Lincoln comes after construction began on a FreshChoice supermarket for Prebbleton. The development is on track to be opened this year. A Woolworths New Zealand spokeswoman said they are starting to see some progress with the project. “The structural steel frames have gone up which is great. We’re excited to be able to bring a new Fresh- Choice store to Prebbleton to help service the local customers.” She said the store is on track to be completed mid this year. The supermarket will be 1300m 2 and will open 7am- 10pm, seven days a week. Deputy Mayor Malcolm Lyall said it is exciting for the community and he has been pushing for a development like this in the area. “There have been various projects come up that have never come to fruition. Seeing this new player come in and be really excited to get something going is awesome. “It will definitely be an asset to the community. At the moment we have to travel to Halswell or Lincoln and there are about 5000 people in Prebbleton now so to have a supermarket the community can walk to is fantastic,” he said. • HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you looking forward to a second supermarket in Lincoln? Email your views to devon.bolger@ starmedia.kiwi CARD$50 GIFT Royal Gala Apples Loose Product of New Zealand $ 2 99 kg $ 50 gift card to be won in every store! SEE INSTORE FOR DETAILS Halos Mandarins 460g Prepack Product of USA $ 4 49 pk CENTRAL OTAGO Avocado Pre-Ripened Large Conditions apply, see www. foursquare.co.nz for details. Competition runs from 24.02.2020 to 08.03.2020 Product of New Zealand Pams Fresh Iceberg Lettuce Product of New Zealand $ 2 29 ea $ 1 99 ea VOLUNTEERS REqUiREd wOULd yOU LikE TO SUppORT yOUR COmmUNiTy? Church Corner & Hornby Stores More than just a store • Suitable for people of all ages (from students to retirees) and gender wanting to get back into the work force • Enables you to make new friends • Is fun - there is a job for everybody • Helps students build their resume • Opportunities to develop working & social skills • Helps fund programmes that benefit the local community Phone (03) 341 8539 or (03) 349 4163 “We value you for generously volunteering your time” Nectarine Yellow Flesh Loose Product of New Zealand $ 6 49 kg FAMOUS FOUR SQUARE PIZZAS 3 Delicous Flavours, Meatlovers, Hawaiian and Chicken & Cranberry. www.foursquare.co.nz $ 12 99 ea facebook.com/FourSquareNZ Specials available South Island only from Monday 24th February until Sunday 8th March 2020 or while stocks last. Wine and beer available at stores with an off licence. Wine and beer purchases restricted to persons aged 18 years old and over.
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A large, quality home sited in a pr
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21 New home! For the kids Green spa
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this Week’s 23 5.00pm - 5.30pm 12
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Selwyn Times: February 26, 2020

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