The Star: September 23, 2021

The
2Star Thursday [Edition September datE] 23 2021
18
NEWS
Airport joins objectors
• By Susan Sandys
CHRISTCHURCH Airport has joined the
throng of objectors to the Selwyn district’s
huge residential growth.
The airport has joined the city council
and Environment Canterbury in objecting
to a proposed 660-home 53ha subdivision
in east Rolleston.
People who end up living in the subdivision
may be affected by aircraft noise, it
says.
The airport’s opposition adds to
growing concern about the huge
residential expansion of Selwyn and the
impact it will have on infrastructure like
schools and roads.
For the east Rolleston subdivision opposed
by the airport, the developers have
applied to the district council to rezone
the rural land, bounded by Levi, Lincoln
Rolleston Rds and Nobeline Drive.
The airport put in a further submission
to the Selwyn District Council by its deadline
this month, supporting submissions
from Environment Canterbury and the
city council. All three entities of ECan,
the city council and the airport had earlier
opposed the plan change in the submission
process.
The airport said it did not want any further
residential density increase under the
50dB Ldn Air Noise Contour, as mapped
in the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement.
It is calling for the Selwyn District
Council to reject the plan change, as it was
inconsistent with the policy statement, as
well as the Greater Christchurch planning
framework.
“It would result in reverse sensitivity effects
on the operations of the airport.”
An airport spokeswoman explained that
the airport did not want people building
within the noise contours “because the
possibility of noise exposure might impact
their well-being.”
The phrase “reverse sensitivity” related
to the possibility of people moving to an
area which was exposed to airport noise,
and then complaining, which could
impact the airport’s operations, she said.
“The noise contours are not set by us,
but through planning processes,” she
added.
The plan change application is Plan
Change 71, one of seven residential
rezoning applications for the Rolleston
area currently before the district council.
They altogether encompass 5709 potential
new residential lots.
Christchurch airport noise contours
have proved controversial in the past.
In 2011, Earthquake Recovery Minister
Gerry Brownlee used the Government’s
extra powers to allow home builders an
exemption to the noise contour limits
in Kaiapoi.
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