REBECCA STEVENSON The residents of Napier's newest suburb are furious over a decision made in Wellington that has them now living in Orotu Park, not Parklands. Construction of the Napier City Council-owned development Parklands Estate began about two years ago. The subdivision, on Napier's old Lagoon Farm north of Tamatea, has about70 completed houses, but will have 800 once finished and because of its size will be a stand-alone suburb. Selecting the suburb's name falls to the New Zealand Geographic Board, under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946. Napier City Council submitted two names to the board for consideration, Parklands and Orotu Park. Now homeowners in the estate are angry the board ignored Parklands, and say the council assured them the suburb's name would remain. Karrie Stephens was one of the first to move into Parklands Estate. She said she "bought a home in Parklands, not Orotu Park ... and the name sounds awful". Ms Stephens said Orotu Park made the suburb sound scruffy and would affect house prices, and she's not alone. Last week she started a petition objecting to the name. It has gathered almost 300 signatures. "Only two people in the subdivision haven't signed up, and one of them doesn't live here," she said. Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott won't be signing but said she understood why the residents were upset. The council's preference was Parklands: "The geographic board have said they want to name the suburb Orotu Park. We don't get to make the decision. If we did it would be Parklands." As it stood, Parklands Estate would be in the suburb of Orotu Park, she said. The mayor said the council's Maori Consultative Committee put forward Orotu as its preference, but the council was already committed to "Parklands". She doubted the name would drive down property prices. "What about Ahuriri? The name Ahuriri hasn't done anything to house prices in Westshore." The new suburb will fall into the Taradale Ward this local body election - another decision foisted on Napier by outsiders, Mrs Arnott said. Board spokesperson Wendy Shaw said a three-month objection period for Orotu Park expired on August 31. A final decision would be made by the Minister for Land Information, David Parker. Ms Stephens said Parklands Estate's residents were gearing up for a battle. "Everyone is heated up about this. We are not going to back down."
