The Star: June 04, 2020

Thursday June 4 2020 The Star
Historic Cathedral trees and
the passing of Wayward
YOU CAN JUST about kiss
goodbye to three trees which
have dominated part of the
Cathedral Square landscape for
more than 100 years.
Revelations this week about
new Government planning rules
which will help speed up the restoration
of the Cathedral means
one thing – the london plane
trees are on very shaky ground.
The trees were planted from
the 1880s to the 1920s and are
synonymous with the Cathedral
and the square.
But Big Brother is
sharpening its axe in the form
of new powers which limits
and stifles public comment and
opposition to certain projects,
all in the name of getting things
done quickly.
This could mean the trees
could be cut down without the
public having a say.
Associate Minister for
Greater Christchurch
Regeneration Poto Williams
was reported as having invited
written comment on the
proposals and she said the new
powers were not being “used
lightly.”
She is seeking public comment
on the new powers.
But I’ll bet the trees will be
firewood by next winter.
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
From the
editor’s desk
Barry Clarke
On another note, it would be
remiss not to record the passing
of Warren Cawood.
The former Star journalist, affectionately
known as Wayward,
was one of the characters of the
industry.
Primarily a horse racing
journalist, both as a reporter and
sub-editor, Wayward was from
a journalistic era sadly in many
ways gone.
He was a great after-work
UNDER
THREAT:
One of the
historic
london
plane
trees that
could get
the chop.
PHOTO:
GEOFF
SLOAN ​
socialiser with the other Star
journos at the New Albion
Tavern in Colombo St, and
then it was onto the Media
Club, where his true Southland
colours would emerge. There
were his renditions of “Southland
for ever” . . . which became all the
more repetitive during the rugby
season, particularly when
Canterbury was facing his
beloved team.
barry@starmedia.kiwi
WE NEED MORE people living
in the central city. That is a given
and has been the aim since well
before the earthquakes happened.
The earthquakes made it
harder not easier, especially with
so many new properties being
made available in our neighbouring
districts and without having
to bear the true cost of travelling
to and from the city.
So, it’s in this context that central
city residential development
contributions rebates are back on
the council agenda for next week.
The immediate reaction a couple
of weeks ago was to focus on the
rebate being used as a subsidy for
the short-term guest accommodation
market – the Airbnb sector
– which was never intended to be
the case.
We had asked staff to look at
options for preventing such properties
from receiving or retaining
a rebate. Unfortunately, that
work was not completed prior to
the original paper coming to city
council.
It now recommends that the rebate
scheme criteria be amended
to require developers to register a
Mayor
Lianne Dalziel
OPINION 11
Encouraging more people
to live in the central city
restrictive covenant in favour of
the city council on the title of the
development site that precludes
use of the property for short term
guest accommodation or for any
other business or commercial
purpose.
This allows the scheme to continue
with the original purpose in
mind – to encourage more people
to live in the central city – something
we all need, and something
the businesses who have invested
in the central city are entitled to
expect.
And as for the Airbnb sector, it
is time central Government wrote
nationwide rules so councils
could stop having to reinvent the
wheel in every city and district
where they compete unfairly with
the accommodation sector.