‘Heal subdivision divisions’

The Hokowhitu site is suitable for residential development

Commissioner Chris Mitchell

Developers of Palmerston North’s proposed Centennial Drive housing subdivision have been told to sort out boundary issues with the neighbouring Manawatu¯ Golf Club.

Resource management commissioners adjourned a hearing on the proposed rezoning on December 1, and have issued instructions about the things they would like clarified and, if possible, agreed before they considered making a decision.

Hearing panel chairman Chris Mitchell said the preliminary finding was that the former Hokowhitu campus site was suitable and had potential to be a highquality housing area.

But the commissioners had a list of eight problem areas where they wanted the parties concerned to work together and come up with solutions by the end of February.

One of the most contentious issues was over the boundary between the former Hokowhitu campus and the golf course.

The commissioners said they wanted to be satisfied about safety and considered it might be helpful to include no-complaints covenants on section titles.

They commended Wallace Development, the city council and Rangitāne for their proposal to preserve a grove of memorial trees on a former pa¯ site by creating the Ruahine Reserve, but wanted to see the boundaries of the reserve precisely defined.

The Cancer Society kauri tree was also a concern and the parties were asked to work out how it could be kept where the public could see it, and whether it was feasible to transplant it.

City planner David Murphy said he welcomed the commissioners’ indication that they thought the area was suitable for residential development.

He was confident the issues still to be sorted could be resolved.

Wallace Development director Jonathan Wallace said he understood the process had to take its course and that the hearing had been fairly conducted.