Demand for container depot transparency
Locals set against the development of a proposed shipping container storage, cleaning and maintenance site in rural Te Puna have presented a petition to both the Western Bay District and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils demanding procedural transparency.
A resource consent application was lodged online with the District Council by Te Puna Industrial Ltd for 297 Te Puna Station Road, on the night of Thursday 13th January.
That very morning, a group of Te Puna residents delivered a petition to Barkes Corner.
These included Neville Bidois of Ngāti Taka and Pirirākau, Derek Masters the Chief Executive of DMS Progrowers, Alison Cowley whose property looks down the valley and shares catchment with the site, and direct neighbours Paul and Elaine Winwood.
They were met by Council CEO John Holyoake, Mayor Garry Webber and Te Puna local Councillor Don Thwaites.
The petition, signed by 1500 people, is demanding any consent applications for activity and development at the so-called Rural Business Park site should be publicly notified.
“This would ensure the people who work, live and recreate in Te Puna have an opportunity to be heard in any consent process,” says Alison Cowley.
“We ask for a commitment from Western Bay Council that the rural culture and amenity value of the environment, including the human environment will be prioritised, respected and honoured.
“Concerns are raised by all sectors: neighbours, commuters using already congested roads, retailers and hospitality business owners who will all be directly impacted upon.
“Growers, contractors and post-harvest operators raise concerns about heavy traffic,
safety, and biosecurity. Containers carry biological matter. Container cleaning results in runoff which will too easily find its way into the harbour. This is a low-lying site,” she says.
Alison Cowley says Te Puna is growing and vibrant but the local village focus can’t be sustained with up to 500 truck and trailer unit movements per day.
An Official Information Act request shows the applicant met Council staff formally on 17th March 2021, and informally on 28th September 2021.
Council’s Group Manager Policy Planning and Regulatory Services, Rachael Davie, says the first meeting was to discuss a ‘Package of Plans’. Eight Council staff and five representatives of the developer were present.
Minutes show the developer’s agreement was to go unconditional on 10th August 2021 and the meeting was to gain insight on what Council requirements would be.
Andries Cloete of Council’s Resource Management department is quoted as saying he saw a container yard as ‘storage or a depot which are both permitted activities in the zone’.
“After that, the developers went ahead with their purchase so clearly they came out of the meeting thinking it could be a go,” says Alison.
Alison says the use of Te Puna Road means trucks going through the roundabout as other roads are even less suitable. She says the developer asked questions about current height restrictions of nine metres and mention was made of possible future access via rail, which would mean needing access across Te Puna Station Road and ultimately a potential 26ha site.
“This is not the well-landscaped positive contribution to the rural community as proposed in the OPUS consultants technical report of 2002. This site has a
network of implications for the environment.
“Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chair Doug Leeder has clarified very firmly to us that the 2005 Environment Court ruling and caveats legally stand, and only the Environment Court can change that ruling in any way,” says Alison.
A Facebook campaign group named Wrong Business, Wrong Place now has more than 130 members.
Western Bay of Plenty District Council CEO John Holyoake says Council has an obligation to meet any individual or party should they seek information or clarification on a process.
“Everyone is entitled to ask questions and have a discussion with Council staff regarding their individual situation. However, this does not infer Council endorses a project or approach, or in this instance will approve any Resource Consent application,” says John.
The District Council must now work through statutory steps outlined in the Resource Management Act to determine if notification is required.
Arrests for aggravated robberies
Two men have been arrested in relation to two aggravated robberies in and near Tauranga. The robberies took place on Bethlehem Road and Minden Road on the evening of 4th January. A 21-year-old man is facing two charges of aggravated robbery, as well as cruelty or ill-treatment of an animal. An 18-year-old man is charged with one count of aggravated robbery. They were scheduled to appear in Tauranga District Court on 8th January.
Fire season change
All of Bay of Plenty is now in a restricted fire season. The change includes all of the traditional Bay of Plenty, as well as the South Waikato and Taupō District Council boundaries. FENZ District Manager Jeff Maunder says this means people in the Bay of Plenty will need a permit to light an open-air fire.
“There are some activities people can do while in a restricted season, and the best way to avoid any confusion is to visit www.checkitsalright.nz and put in your planned fire-related activity. Fire and Emergency also recommends people planning on lighting a fire consider the conditions. If it is hot and windy, do not light a fire, even if you have a permit,” Jeff Maunder says.
Fatal crash Tahāwai
Emergency services responded to a serious crash on State Highway Two in Tahāwai. Police were alerted to a two-vehicle crash, between Tuapiro Road and
Hikurangi Road, shortly after 8.30pm on 20th December.
The road was closed in both directions and motorists were advised to avoid the area, due to severe delays. The driver of one of the vehicles, John O’Neill Dent, 81, of Katikati, died following the incident. The three occupants of the other vehicle received minor injuries.
The Serious Crash Unit was in attendance and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident were ongoing. The death was referred to the Coroner.
Road Toll
The official Christmas/New Years holiday period for 2021/22 ran from 4pm December 24th to 6am 5th January 2022. There were 17 deaths from 17 crashes. Police say this is up from 11 the previous year.
Serious crash SH29
SH29 was closed and diversions put in place following a crash in the Lower Kaimai Range, near Belk Road. The crash, between a car and a van, occurred about 11.25am on 22nd December.
Four people were injured - one seriously, one moderately, and two have received minor injuries. Motorists were warned to avoid the area or expect delays.
Feeling hot, hot, hot
2021 was New Zealand’s warmest year on record. Annual temperatures were above average (+0.51°C to +1.20°C above the annual average) for much of Aotearoa.
Well above average temperatures (more than 1.20°C above the annual average) occurred in parts of Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Tasman and Fiordland.
A pig of a Christmas
Take care when carving next Christmas. In the three years 2018-2020, ACC says it dealt with claims for 150 injuries involving the Christmas ham alone. Twothirds of cases (91) involved bad cuts.
Also in that period, there were 119 claims related to Christmas decoration injuries - mostly fractures, strains and cuts. Christmas tree mishaps resulted in 178 claims.
Six months of kerbside
The Kerbside Collective recycling scheme has now been running for half a year. In this time, Council says 1546 tonnes of material has been diverted from landfill; glass (639 tonnes), recycling (609 tonnes) and food waste (298 tonnes).
Te Puna Heartlands
Te Puna Heartlands’ next meeting will be at 7pm on Thursday 10th February 2022, in the community meeting room of the Te Puna Memorial Hall. Covid rules apply. Although anyone resident in Te Puna is eligible to attend Heartlands meetings, the venue is limited in space and ventilation and vaccine passes may be required for entry, in accordance with the booking conditions, and depending on numbers.
The Chief Executive of the Western Bay District Council, John Holyoake, has been invited to attend. Richard Comyn will be in the chair.
Dogs of the Western Bay
Council is thanking everyone who has registered their dog this year. Their database shows the most popular dog names registered this year are Bella, Charlie, Poppy, Max, Molly, Ruby, Jess, Roxy, Buddy and Bear.
Council’s Wander Dogs event is next at Waihī Beach, exploring Anzac Bay and Bowentown Domain from 10am on Saturday 5th February.
Waitangi Day sailing
The Ōmokoroa Boat Club will have its annual Waitangi Day sailing races on Sunday 6th February.
The adults will be in sailing dinghies, while our club members in Sunbursts will sail for the Golden Centreboard trophy. Other dinghies will be sailing to contest the Waitangi Day trophy. It is a fun event for competitors and spectators alike.
Registration is available at the Ōmokoroa Boat Club bar or directly with convenor John Budden via email to buddennz@gmail.com or sailors can phone 07 548 1180.