Nazi run prankster hands himself in

Gerry Brownlee wants a new residential development built on the Christchurch block formerly earmarked for the failed Breathe Urban Village.

In 2015, the Crown cut ties with the winners of the Breathe competition, which was backed by Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud, after they failed to confirm necessary finance.

Crown-owned company Otakaro Limited is remaining tight lipped about the future use of the land north of Latimer Square, formerly occupied by Charlie’s Backpackers.

After repeated requests from The Press, it confirmed numerous parties have expressed interest in the site.

However, Otakaro was unable to say when work would actually start.

‘‘Otakaro Limited’s commercial approach is to consider details of transactions that are under discussion to be kept confidential.

‘‘There has been interest expressed in the Residential Demonstrator site by various parties, but until such time as a transaction is concluded, we will not be commenting on any discussions,’’ a spokesman said.

Asked if he had a preference for a residential development on the land, Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Brownlee responded: ‘‘yes, I think so’’.

However, there was no ‘‘rush’’ to decide on a development, he said.

‘‘When a good commercial proposition comes along, and Otakaro are certainly working at the moment toward that, we’ll have it put in front of us and there’ll be a timeline attached.

‘‘But there’s no desire to rush it for any type of result, it has to be a result that’s going to be, I’d say, complementary to the east frame,’’ Brownlee said.

The Crown expected Otakaro to act in a ‘‘timely manner’’, Brownlee said.

Otakaro’s spokesman said ‘‘strategic planning’’ was under way for the development.

‘‘Any development will ultimately complement the adjoining Anchor Projects and attract more people to the central city, while ensuring the Crown receives the optimal return on its investment,’’ he said.

Christchurch developer Richmond Paynter pointed out the objective was to have 20,000 people living within the four avenues.

He believed having a large number of people living centrally was ‘‘the only way the centre of the city is going to recover’’.

‘‘It won’t recover any other way, I mean, at the moment all the commercial buildings are pretty much built because there’s more than enough office supply.

‘‘You’ve got the retail precinct, which people are going to travel in there by day and disappear at five o’clock.

‘‘Then you’ve got acres and acres, or hectares, of vacant land [and] the only way the city’s going to recover is having people living there,’’ Paynter said.

Therefore, every opportunity to complete a residential development in the central city was ‘‘critical’’, he said. SAM SHERWOOD A group dedicated to freeing Scott Watson have started a series of protest marches from Christchurch to Picton.

Twelve of Watson’s most loyal supporters gathered outside the Christchurch District Court yesterday morning, before marching to Kaiapoi.

The group said Watson was wrongfully imprisoned for the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope on New Year’s Eve 1997.

No bodies have been found and there has long been speculation that another ship seen in the area could have been connected to the case.

Watson’s sister, Sandy, said the case against her brother was ‘‘based on lies’’.

‘‘The police were lazy and they lied to people telling them they weren’t interested in the ketch even though all these people had sighted it.’’

Sandy Watson told the group her brother appreciated their support.

‘‘Scott is very happy that so many people have come to the realisation that this case is based on lies. Everyone was lied to, all over the country.’’

Miranda Clare, who is in regular contact with Scott Watson, said he was in ‘‘good spirits’’.

‘‘I think he’s handled it pretty well considering.’’

Today, the group planned to drive to Kaikoura, stopping in Amberley and Cheviot to march through the towns, and would then protest through the centre of Kaikoura.

Protesters would follow a similar pattern tomorrow, driving to Blenheim then Picton, protesting through the centres of both.

A police spokesperson said earlier they were aware of the planned march and respected people’s right to lawful protest. They would ‘‘respond appropriately’’ to any issues. MICHAEL HAYWARD A Christchurch high school student who dashed through another school with a Nazi slogan on his chest has handed himself in.

Christchurch Boys’ High School (CBHS) headmaster Nic Hill said the student, who on Thursday ran through Christchurch Girls’ High School (CGHS) in his underwear with ‘‘sieg heil’’ written across his upper body, had apologised for his actions.

Hill said the student was aware he was in the wrong and that he’d breached the school’s values.

‘‘We do not tolerate any racism or anything offensive.’’

Hill said the onus would be on the boy to fix the situation. There would be some relationships within the school community he would need to repair.

The school was still investi– gating.

Hill said he had not fielded any complaints. He had delivered some flowers to the Girls’ High principal.

‘‘Sieg heil’’ is German for ‘‘hail victory’’ and was used as a slogan by the Nazi Party in the 1930s to show obedience to Adolf Hitler.

The boy was one of a group of CBHS students taking part in end of year pranks, Hill said, which happened most years.

He said there would likely be action taken against the boy.

The school ‘‘had wind it was happening’’ and had been in touch with CGHS, he said. Some clear photos of the incident had been passed to CBHS.

CGHS principal Pauline Duthie said she knew a group of boys dashed through the school grounds at lunchtime on Thursday but didn’t know about the offensive slogan.