Neighbours don’t want courthouse in their backyard
PLANS to establish a courthouse in a suburban street have angered neighbours who want to keep criminals and ‘‘undesirables’’ away from their families.
The Justice Ministry has lodged a resource consent application with Masterton District Council to hold full court proceedings at the former Totara Drive School site in Lansdowne.
The court would include holding cells for remand prisoners, and operate for up to two years while the existing Masterton District Court building is earthquake strengthened.
However, the proposed site is zoned as residential, and is surrounded by a mixture of young families and elderly residents.
Kylie Moore, who has a 4-yearold daughter, said her Third St house backed on to the site.
‘‘I just don’t like the idea of having criminals right over the back fence.’’
She had seen could go wrong.
‘‘I was standing across the road from the court last year when someone escaped, and there was a whole line of police chasing him down the street.
‘‘I don’t want them ending up in my house.’’
Another neighbour, Alan Taplin, said plenty of other commercial sites were available in Masterton.
‘‘I don’t really like walking past the [regular] court because of all the undesirables hanging around.
‘‘I’m not going to want to bring friends from out of town to my house if they’ve got to see all that.’’
Other Third St residents said the court would have a negative impact on house prices, traffic flow and parking congestion.
Since the regular court closed
first-hand what in December, hearings have taken place at the Masterton police station and the Masterton Town Hall, with court staff housed in a nearby building.
The consent application states it would take four weeks to renovate the former school buildings, and to construct and improve fencing and security gates.
Up to 120 vehicles were estimated to visit the court daily.
The application also asks for non-notified consent, meaning it would not require public consultation if granted.
Acting deputy secretary for courts Robert Pigou said despite the application, the ministry continued to look at other options in Masterton.
‘‘We’re now trying to find a venue to provide an interim solution while options are considered for remediation of the Masterton District Court.’’
Masterton District Council planner Sue Southey said staff would consider whether to proceed with a notified or nonnotified consent next week.