Neighbour of Napier basketball hoop family says teens could kill baby on street with balls

The offending basketball hoop set-up. It is set to be moved back from the fence to comply with regulations. Photo / Supplied

A neighbour who complained about a Napier family's non-compliant basketball hoop has fired back at criticism of his actions, claiming the basketball activity at the property could kill a baby on the street.

The neighbour, who did not want to be named, said in what is a fiery statement to Hawke's Bay Today on Wednesday, that the noise from the hoop sounded like "fighting cats", and that the teenagers using it were "like monkeys".

The Hiha family has hit back at the criticism, calling it "extreme", "derogatory" and "offensive".

The saga started last month when Suzie Hiha, a local basketball coach, constructed the hoop set up in their Te Awa backyard, just a metre from their fence.

Twins Laker and Elijah Brown, 15, will continue to shoot hoops once the hoop 'structure' has been shifted. Photo / Paul Taylor

Following a confrontation with a neighbour, the family was visited by Napier City Council, which deemed the hoop was a structure, and therefore needed to be 3m from the property boundary under district plan rules.

The family have since agreed to move it.

The company which installed the hoop, Airtime Hoops, has agreed to waive the $700 moving fee.

The neighbour's latest statement suggests things have escalated since Hawke's Bay Today broke the story on Friday.

In the statement the neighbour says the teenagers are "like monkeys, swinging all over the hoop, yelling and screaming like fighting cats".

He said he had seen close calls, with a basketball hitting a motorcycle tyre, and a truck having to brake to avoid a ball.

He argued if "a lady" was carrying a baby, and it was hit by a ball "there certainly could be a death".

He said the noise created by the children playing with the hoop can sometimes go from 10am to 9.30pm at night.

He also claimed the hoop did not meet covenant guidelines for the suburb, even when it was moved, and needed to be removed.

Hiha said the suggestion there could be a death was "ridiculous" and said the description of the teens as "monkeys" was offensive.

"That's just really extreme, but actually, he's said all of this stuff to us in person too, so I'm not particularly surprised.

"They do swing on the hoop, but that's what it's designed for, it's a dunking hoop."

Hiha said she did not believe the hoop was in breach of covenants on the house, and had not heard from the developer to that effect.

She said she had made attempts to compromise over the hoop with the neighbour to no avail.

One positive from the saga was that she had met her other neighbours, and they were now planning to start a neighbourhood watch group, she said.

Last week she told Hawke's Bay Today the family should not be forced to jump through legal hoops to allow their kids to have fun.

She said the neighbour who had confronted them lived more than 20m away, and she had spoken to neighbours directly affected by the hoop who did not have a problem with it.

She said she was more than willing to ensure the children did not play late at night.

"I will definitely tell them to keep the noise down, but they're 15-year-old boys."