Businessman backs subdivision plan

Carterton needs to shake off its "tall poppy syndrome", it's stifling development in a district crying out for growth, according to businessman, Trino Koers who has run a company in the town for over 50 years.
He was almost a lone voice of support at a meeting in Carterton on Sunday afternoon organised by residents concerned about a major subdivision planned by an Upper Hutt developer.
"I take my hat off to Mr Gillies for sticking his neck out. People should be pleased a developer with such expertise is willing to invest in the town," said Mr Koers.
He estimates Mr Gillies will need to invest $5million in the subdivision.
Malcolm Gillies, of Upper Hutt Developments, has been behind a number of subdivisons in the Hutt Valley, and has recently purchased from the Koers family, 15 hectares off the end of Armstrong Avenue at the north end of Carterton.
He wants to establish a major housing development. Stage one is just 11 housing sections, but ultimately there are around 108 proposed around a man made lake.
The sections would varying in size from as little as 630sqm to around 1170sqm and would include a unit housing area for the elderly along the lines of a retirement village. His application for resource consent is currently before the Carterton District Council.
Mr Koers said he had considered subdividing the land around 15 years ago, but has so many problems with stormwater issues and the council, that he said he could not be bothered with the hassle.
The small size of the proposed subdivision sections, and its drain on the town's existing sewerage and water supply, is the main concern for residents.
Some felt it would become a "nappy alley."
The land is currently zoned "low-density residential", a zoning which occurs nowhere else in Wairarapa but Carterton.
This means sections cannot be under 2000sqm in the present district plan.
However, this could all change when the new combined district plan for the Wairarapa is publicly notified late next month. In this, Carterton is proposing to scrap the low density zoning and an overall minimum of just 400sqm will be adopted, subject to public approval.
Mr Koers believes the subdivision is all good news for the town.
"We need new people in the region, who in turn will attract better services and ultimately more industry."
The organiser of the residents' meeting, Lorraine Garrity pointed out that the 86 people who attended the meeting were not against development, but wanted it to be carefully considered.
She said only two people, one of which was Mr Koers, were totally in favour.
The main concerns related to pressure on the town's services, the existing narrow streets linking into the proposed subdivision, that an entrance off the state highway would create a ring road effect, and that the water table was very high and the clay soils meant the area was prone to flooding.
Residents have gone away from the meeting encouraged to air their views during the draft district plan public submission process.