High Court challenge to Council’s lack of consultation on Curtis Street site

“Residents should have their views taken into account when the Council is considering land use changes”, said Sarah Holden, chair of the Creswick Valley Residents’ Association.

The Association has mounted a legal challenge to the Wellington City Council’s decision to rezone the site at 55 – 85 Curtis Street from open space and residential to intensive industrial use.

“There is clear evidence that the Council’s processes to change the zoning left residents completely in the dark. Despite acknowledgement of these significant shortcomings by some Councillors, the Council chose not do anything leaving residents with no choice but to mount a legal challenge” said Ms Holden.

The Association successfully sought an interim injunction to stop large and irreversible earthworks from starting on the site just before Christmas. The case now before the High Court challenges the Council’s processes to notify and consult residents on the District Plan changes which led to the rezoning of the Curtis Street site. The case is significant in that it seeks clarification of local authorities’ duties to consult their communities as part of the planning process.

The case commences in the High Court on Monday 27 February and is scheduled to run for two days.

ENDS

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