Sporting celebrities join radio station battle

Two high-profile sporting celebrities have joined the battle to force radio station Radio Live from its new inner-city location.

Since moving into the quiet and private residential cul-de-sac of Arthur St in Freemans Bay, the CanWest-owned station has been a constant headache for residents - including Jonah Lomu and celebrity couple Adam Parore and Sally Ridge, who own million-dollar-plus homes in the street.

Although it did not have resource consent, Radio Live was able to start broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the Arthur St premises in April.

But it is not what happens inside the building that has upset residents - it is the activities outside.

In a submission to the Auckland City Council, Lomu complained about the level of traffic and noise, which he said had gone from "minimal" to levels similar to living on a main road.

There was total disregard for Arthur St residents, with staff speeding down the street, people skateboarding at 1am, taxis pulling up and tooting at all hours of the night and courier vans and deliveries from 4.30am, Lomu said.

At any one time, he said, there were more than 15 cars belonging to staff and management of Radio Live parked in the street.

"The Radio Live staff have a blatant disregard for the neighbours and for the council by, on a consistent, daily basis, ignoring the parking restrictions in place."

Staff threw their cigarette butts in the street with no regard for the environment or its residents, he wrote.

"One of the reasons we purchased this property was the quiet cul-de-sac and the obvious privacy it gave us, all of which has been taken away."

The submission followed a retrospective application by JBH Investments - which owns the building occupied by Radio Live - to operate a radio station on the lower floor and put up a neon sign outside.

Lomu said he would never have bought his property had he known a radio station would go in there.

Parore, who works part-time for Radio Live, was also unhappy with what had happened to the street, calling it a "commercial carpark".

"It is frustrating for us... that a radio station can roll in without a resource consent, operate 24 hours a day and the council does nothing about it," Parore said.

The council has received 22 submissions on the retrospective consent - all opposing the operation of the station, and the neon sign.

JBH Investments and Radio Live would not comment to the Herald on Sunday. The hearing will take place in about six weeks.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY