The Star: April 27, 2023

The Star Thursday April 27 2023
4
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Shipping containers obstruct
views of Port Hills – action wanted
• From page 1
They also applied to be able to
use the setback area.
But the city
council still
has not made
a decision, and
the containers
continue to
be stacked,
Paul
McMahon
Tracey
McLellan
frustrating
nearby residents
who have the
backing of
Waitai Coastal-
Burwood-
Linwood
Community
Board chair, Paul
McMahon and
Banks Peninsula
MP Tracey
McLellan.
McMahon
has also emailed
Mauger and city
council chief executive Dawn
Baxendale.
Mauger was hailed a people’s
hero before he was elected
as mayor, when he used his
contracting company to dig a
trench in Bexley to stop flooding
which was upsetting people in
that area.
McCutchan was disappointed
he had not responded to the plea
for help.
Mauger didn’t respond to
questions put to him by The Star.
A spokesperson for the mayor
said it was a matter for city
council staff to deal with.
While the resource consent
is being considered, the city
council temporarily allowed
containers to be stacked six high,
meaning the stack could be
about 17m.
“This was not a decision that
was made lightly by council staff
given the concerns being raised,”
the spokesperson said.
“An abatement notice was
issued for the activity. Most
aspects of the non-compliance
were addressed by the operator.
However, some aspects were
deferred to await completion
of processing of the resource
consent.”
The six-high container stacks,
obstruct residents’ views of the
Port Hills.
“We had such a beautiful view
of the area, and it’s just been
diminished,” McCutchan said.
The city council spokesperson
said the reason for allowing
the containers to be stacked six
high was due to a difference
in interpretation – whether a
container meets the definition of
a building, and is subject to the
height limit.
The property owner’s lawyer
also said regardless it would
lodge a resource consent for
stacks up to six containers high,
the spokesperson said.
“Council staff considered it
reasonable to allow those issues
to be thoroughly and properly
considered through the resource
consent process.”
McCutchan wants to see the
district plan enforced for safety,
noise, and the view from her
home.
McMahon wants the original
plan enforced.
“It really is not fair,” he said.
“It’s affecting people’s quiet
enjoyment of their own homes.”
With the increased height of
the stacks, McMahon said views
of the Port Hills are considerably
more obstructed.
“I was used to seeing this
beautiful view of the hills,” he
said.
While exercising discretion
is standard council practice,
McMahon wants to see
discretion in favour of the
community, instead of the
operator.
“I understand the council
must adhere to the law and
it’s very difficult when dealing
with wealthy developers, but
Woolston only has the council to
stand up for us,” he said.
“It is very complex and very
unfair that people’s right to the
quiet enjoyment of their homes
is being denied to them.”
McLellan thinks it would be
better if the city council focused
on enforcing the District
Plan.
“I’ve had a lot of feedback from
residents who are disappointed
and frustrated about this
development,” she said.
“They’re concerned about
the noise, the safety of stacked
containers, the loss of visual
amenity, and the impact of
industrial activity on the
sensitive ecological river
corridor.”
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