WED welcomes scrapping of Structure Plan, but still fears for the future

Update from WED 04.03.11

Apologies for the confusion in my last email. I said it was the day after the housing meeting, but then gave the date as the same day. The WED meeting is 7.30pm on Wednesday 9 March at the Community House. I look forward to seeing you.

Thanks

John.

Media Release: Whaingaroa Environmental Defence, 27.02.11

Click here for response from Raglan Community Board
Whaingaroa Environmental Defence welcomed Council’s decision to abandon their Raglan Structure Plan. Convenor Malibu Hamilton said, “From the moment we announced our 13 July meeting, which alerted Raglan to the Plan last year, we knew Council was wasting ratepayers money in getting Auckland planners to dust off the decade old plans for high rise on Cliff St.”

Raglan Wharf - after the fire Image John Lawson

He added, “Unfortunately they’ve still not learnt to consult as is all too obvious from their plans for the wharf.” Council selected the wharf ‘stakeholders’ group, but even this selected group has rejected council’s grandiose plans. To date there has been no public meeting to inform the community on the costs or benefits of the changed proposal. Therefore WED is holding a public meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday 8 March at the Community House. WED had postponed a meeting when it looked as though Council might listen to community opinion.

Since then there has also been a meeting of the Coastal Reserves Management Committee, which affirmed its decision to support removal of the listed poplar trees on Te Kopua at a cost of $10,000 plus replanting costs. A debate took place at that meeting on whether that decision should have been publicised before the trees were felled. Cr Clint Baddeley and others advanced the argument that publicity invited objections and that they held up projects, which then cost more. Many projects have now followed this philosophy. Many have cost ratepayers a lot of money. Whenever council carries out ‘levels of service’ surveys of ratepayers it finds a majority prefer to save rates rather than spend money on projects such as more footpaths. Council never asked if we wanted roundabouts, a new museum, a new footbridge, a large wharf building, bollards on Cliff St, an unused soccer pitch behind the rugby ground and many other projects. Malibu said, “They have cost millions. This 8 March meeting is an opportunity to discuss the merits of the current system for deciding the future of Raglan and what and how changes could be made.”

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