Forrester feedback questioned
IT would be a ‘‘travesty of local democracy’’ if the Waitaki District Council did not honour the majority view of the community on the future of Forrester Heights, one submitter told councillors yesterday.
Speaking to his submission yesterday, on the first of two days of hearings, Oamaru resident Linton Winder raised concerns about the council’s presentation of data on the community’s views on the future of the 2.51ha of land overlooking Oamaru Harbour known as Forrester Heights.
Sixty of the more than 900 submissions received were not included in the council’s consultation data analysis, because they did not directly answer whether they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed, strongly disagreed or felt neutral about each of the three options the council presented to the community.
Of the 845 submitters who commented directly on the three options, 68% agreed the council should make Forrester Heights a reserve, 30% agreed to selling some or all of the land and using the funds for community benefit, and just 21% were neutral in leaving it as it is for now.
Dr Winder believed ‘‘crucial information’’ was lost by the council using percentages in the way it had, and he spent nine hours reanalysing all of the submissions.
There was a desire among councillors to make a decision on Forrester Heights one way or the other — and that decision had been made by the community to make it a reserve, he said, presenting a sign with his results to councillors.
Councillor Kelli Williams said she believed some of the information being presented to the community by supporters of a reserve had been misleading, and a lot of decisions made in the consultation process had been based on ‘‘inaccurate information’’. Dr Winder did not accept that and claimed the council itself was biased in terms of the information it had provided.
About 30 people were scheduled to speak to their submissions yesterday, but several did not appear. Many of those who did told the council a sale of the land would be ‘‘shortsighted’’, and some concern was raised about the stability of the land and opening the area up to housing for ‘‘elite individuals’’.
Friends of Oamaru Harbour coordinator Vicki Jayne expressed her strong opposition to a sale of the land. The friends group had instead proposed the establishment of a native forest reserve that would enhance the existing character and provide a valuable recreational, environmental and educational asset for the community, as well as being a tourism drawcard.
Oamaru resident Jae Omnet believed the council should adopt a mixed model, where new houses could be built as well as a walking track to link Cape Wanbrow to the Oamaru township, and funds from the sale of some land could be used to improve other walking tracks.
Rodger McCaw strongly agreed the land should be sold for a residential development, or blended with commercial development, as a ‘‘golden opportunity’’ to lower rates. He raised concerns about forestation of the land, due to the fire risk and potential to attract ‘‘miscreants’’ and homeless people.
Avon St homeowner Graeme Clark raised concerns about the impacts nearby, if it was sold and developed into housing.
More verbal submissions will be heard today, from 9am.