Rotorua youth prison site questioned

Child Youth and Family is conducting a serious - but top secret - investigation into land south of Rotorua as an alternative site for its controversial youth prison.

The Government department has announced a 19ha property in Kaharoa, north of Rotorua, as its preferred site for a "youth justice facility", sparking an outcry from residents and landowners.

The Kaharoa community's main objections to the prison have been the potentially devastating effect it would have on their property values and safety, should any of the inmates escape, compounded by what they saw as a lack of consultation before the decision was made.

The ministry paid just over $1 million for the property earlier this month.

CYF senior communications adviser Rhiannon Symmons confirmed an alternative site was now being looked at on Ngati Whakaue-owned land near the Rotorua landfill.

Although the investigation would not be comprehensive, it would involve at least an "initial assessment" into geotechnical and transport issues that would take about two months to complete, Ms Symmons said.

She was unable to say exactly where the site was but said Child Youth and Family officials had met at least twice with Ngati Whakaue chief executive Rick Vallance in the past few days to discuss the option.

"It's not our land to disclose ... We are proceeding on good faith, but (Ngati Whakaue) have made it clear they don't want us to speak on their behalf."

Mr Vallance also refused to say exactly where the site was.

"Discussions were held (with CYF) about a year or so back and out of that has erupted this mountain of blather.

"I have no comment to make," Mr Vallance said.

Forty different sites throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions were initially looked at by the ministry and eventually whittled down to a shortlist of four before the Kaharoa site was chosen.

The existence of the Ngati Whakaue option was revealed at a meeting earlier in the week by Kaharoa resident Rob Moore.

He said he was at a loss to know why CYF had not already made a thorough investigation of the potential of the alternative site, but was pleased to hear it was now going to be looked at.

"It could be a tactic on (CYF's) part to lull us into a sense of complacency and then slam us.

"Quite frankly we don't believe them when they say Kaharoa is the best place for it ... when they have sold the property up there, that's when we will take the pressure off."

Former South Waikato mayor Gordon Blake, who chaired the working party set up to find the best site for the youth prison, said he was aware of the push to find an alternative site, however he did not wish to comment for fear of jeopardising a possible future deal between Ngati Whakaue and the ministry.

If the preliminary CYF investigation found there was merit in the site, the working party would again be employed to fully investigate it, Mr Blake said.

Meanwhile, high profile lawyer Mai Chen has been enlisted to help the people of Kaharoa in their battle against the proposed prison.

Ms Chen said she would be meeting residents next weekend and it would be her job "to ensure they are properly consulted and are able to put forward their concerns in a manner that allows them to feel they have been properly heard".

She said it was likely expert evidence would be required and it was possible a further extension would be sought although she first needed to speak to the group, see the site, and gather more information before deciding on a course of action.

- NZPA