A Tauranga neighbourhood has united against a plan to fast-track development of a rural-zoned block of land using Housing Accord legislation.
Adler Estate residents in Ohauiti filled the public seating at yesterday's council meeting to oppose a major extension of their estate on to adjoining farmland.
Speakers Tristan Hewett and Michael Grace urged the council not to turn nearly half of the farmland into a Special Housing Area, a process that allowed developers to shortcut normal rezoning rules.
The council was due to make a decision on March 17 on whether the rural portion of the block would be rezoned for development - a week before the whole 21.1-hectare block goes up for auction.
Mr Hewett told the Bay of Plenty Times after the meeting they were quibbling only about the rural-zoned portion of the land earmarked for development into 80 house sites. Although the residents were concerned with safety impacts of the total 180-site development at the bottom of Adler Drive, they did not oppose the other side of the block because it was already zoned residential.