Developer's plan ruffles residents

Noeleen Skelton, co-ordinator of concerned locals, at the meeting in the community hall last night. Photo/Duncan Brown

Te Awanga residents are up in arms about the proposed development of a 6ha rural property.

About 60 residents gathered at their community hall last night to make further submissions opposing a submission from Te Awanga Downs Family Trust to subdivide Te Awanga Downs, a 6ha sheep and cattle farm on Gordon Rd.

Te Awanga Downs owner Chris Nilsson said the residents were "barking up the wrong tree," protesting at the proposal.

"They're ignorant of the workings of the council. A few people are stirring up a big hornet's nest without knowing the facts," Mr Nilsson said.

He had proposed 120 building blocks, which could vary from 450sq m to 1200sq m, as well as new roads and a sewage-treatment plant as part of the development.

Placards could be seen protesting the proposed development on Clifton Rd yesterday.

Meeting organiser Noeleen Skelton said residents were concerned about the plan's scale.

"Te Awanga only has 300 houses and he [Mr Nilsson] is wanting to add 120."

The development would threaten the friendly and tight-knit character of the community, Ms Skelton said.

However, Mr Nilsson said his "very eco friendly" proposal had been written in such a way that it preserved the Te Awanga's character: "I want to live here for the rest of my life, and I don't want to leave a legacy I would be ashamed of."

Last year the Te Awanga Downs Family Trust submitted to the Draft Hastings District Plan to re-zone their rural and plains zones as a residential zone, in order to subdivide the land. The submission was deferred by the council.

Last month, Te Awanga residents received advice from the council that the family trust had requested the deferment be uplifted, allowing development within the zone without further public consultation.

Ms Skelton said residents were also worried about the sewage-treatment plant.

"We're all on septic tanks out here. If there was a sewage-treatment plant on the hill above the development there'd be a huge rates increase. We'd all have to pay to connect to it."