Public input to be heard

UNLIKE a plan for Oamaru Harbour, when the Waitaki District Council draws up its proposal for development of two Waitaki Valley towns experiencing rapid growth, the plans will be based on public input.

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said in contrast to the Oamaru Harbour plan, which would be an update on a 2011 plan, the Omarama and Otematata plans represented ‘‘blank slate situations’’.

‘‘I think the expectation is that we’ll start more with the community there,’’ he said. ‘‘So . . . the communities get a chance to put all their thoughts on the table as opposed to a more developed area like the harbour that’s been the subject of successive plans already.’’

Ahuriri Community Board chairman Graham Sullivan said he expected consultation to be undertaken while holidaymakers were in the area during the busy summertime period.

Both Omarama and Otematata had ‘‘very strong’’ representation through each community’s respective residents’ and ratepayers’ associations.

Otematata Residents Association member Ross McRobie said the association and the community’s residents ‘‘very much’’ wanted to be engaged.

‘‘We need to start talking to them [the council] sooner rather than later, but I think the key thing is that it’s been acknowledged in the longterm plan.’’

‘‘We know from property values that the town is growing in a major way so we just want to make sure that we’ve got the right infrastructure there as well.

Each community plan was allocated $20,000 by the council in its longterm plan.