Last-Minute Rush of Submissions Opposing Paraparaumu Airport Development

The Paraparaumu Airport Coalition (Inc) says a last-minute rush has brought its total of individual public submissions to 700.

The Airport Coalition convenor, Councillor Alan Tristram, says the public response opposing an industrial park on the airport has been phenomenal.

“This total far exceeds the Auckland developer’s total number of members of the public ‘consulted’ – and that total included many people who were, in fact, opposed to the development, like a local Green politician!” says Cr Tristram.

The individual submission forms signed by members of the public include six grounds of opposition to the Airport proposals set out by developer, Mr Noel Robinson.

The submissions say the claims by the original Maori and Pakeha landowners must be resolved before any development goes ahead.

The submissions also stress serious concerns over safety, traffic congestion and the lack of adequate local infrastructure.

The airport is needed for aviation development, the submissions say, and must not be carved up for commercial development. In addition, Kapiti people must be consulted over what development is appropriate in the district.

The 700 submissions and other major submissions from the Airport Coalition and the Kapiti Aero Club, opposing Mr Robinson’s plans will be submitted soon for consideration at a hearing under the Resource Management Act.

Earlier this year (1/2/07), the Kapiti Coast District Council threw out Mr Robinson’s proposals, mainly on the grounds that a traffic report was completely inadequate. At that time the Mayor, Alan Milne, was not present.

But six weeks later, similar proposals were re-introduced and the measure passed by one vote – the Mayor’s – with councillors evenly divided (5-5).

Another Airport Coalition member, Lyndy McIntyre says the whole issue has been deeply dividing for the Kapiti community.

“It should never have got this far,” she says,” the Mayor should have had the sense to undertake full and fair public consultation under the Local Government Act a year ago – before Mr Robinson was allowed to get traction.”

Ms McIntyre is running for Council this year in a “Turn the Tide” campaign to force the KCDC to consult more widely and seriously on development projects.

“We need changes from the top down, otherwise the developers will continue their devastating work – and the Airport proposals, developed with intensive help from Council officers, are an example of this,” she says.

Under the developers’ proposals, the present East/West Alternate runway will vanish, to be replaced ‘Big Box’ commercial and industrial development, a service station and a supermarket.

ENDS

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