Campaigners to gather at Civic House

Save the Maitai campaigners are taking their ‘‘Keep it Rural’’ message to the streets after being potentially shut out from attending a council meeting tomorrow.

The group was booked to speak at the public forum of the meeting after collecting more than 8000 signatories to the petition against rezoning the Kaka Valley area in the Maitai Valley for housing.

However, group spokesman Peter Taylor said they were told by council on Thursday they would not be able to attend the meeting in person, due to the Covid-19 restrictions.

While meetings of up to 100 people are still allowed under alert level 2, members of the public and media are unable to attend council meetings due to physical distancing restrictions.

‘‘They won’t even allow our two speakers into the chamber, which you have to say seems a very rigorous interpretation of the rules,’’ Taylor said.

‘‘We’ve decided to go ahead and gather outside Civic House prior to the council meeting and we’re inviting councillors to meet us, and hear our point of view on their way in.’’

With the alert level restrictions being reviewed today, if they are reduced they will come into effect at 11.59pm tonight.

Council group manager for strategy and communications Nicky McDonald said if the alert level was lowered, public forum speakers, public and media would be able to attend council meetings from that time.

Taylor said the group would make a presentation at council if Nelson was in alert level 1. The petition to council would be presented at a meeting on November 12. He said the group had been heartened by the ‘‘extraordinary public support’’ to keep the Maitai free of large-scale subdivisions.

He said a development of 500-700 new houses in the Maitai-Kaka Valley would inevitably cause air, noise, light and water pollution.

‘‘We’re simply asking council to keep this unique and special space – our most popular recreational valley – free from urbanisation, for the people of Nelson, like any smart little city would.’’