12 March 2008

Airport hearing report received

Kapiti Coast District Council has received the report of the hearing commissioners on private Plan Change 73 relating to Paraparaumu Airport.

“Once we have the report signed off by all three commissioners, we will release it to elected members,” Acting Chief Executive Kevin Jefferies said.. “We hope to do that later today.

“After that copies will be sent to submitters and the media for their information and it will be placed on the Council website and in libraries.

“At this point I must emphasise that this is just the report and recommendations of the commissioners. It has still to be formally presented by the commissioners to the Council and the Council must then make its decision on whether or not to accept the report and its recommendations.

“Once that decision is made, there will be a period of 21 days during which those who have previously submitted may consider whether to appeal the decision to the Environment Court.

“The date for when the commissioners formally present the report to the Council has yet to be determined, depending on the availability of all three of the commissioners, but we do not want to delay it any longer than necessary and we will make sure the public and submitters are notified in good time.

“In the meantime, I should emphasise that councillors are not in a position to comment on the merits of the decision or any aspects of it otherwise they may prejudice the legal position of the Council and their ability to take part in the formal decision making process,” Mr Jefferies said.

“I would ask the media to respect that position.”

ENDS

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