Alexander Road remains zoned as Business Industrial
Media release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, 5 March 2015
Alexander Road remains zoned as Business Industrial
Environment Court gives favourable decision to Upper Hutt City Council to keep Alexander Road’s Business Industrial zoning designation.
UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 05 MAR 2015—Upper Hutt City Council has just received a favourable decision from the Environment Court relating to land at 166 Alexander Road in Trentham. The land was subject to a private plan change request to re-zone it from Business Industrial to Residential. Council initially declined the request which the landowner appealed to the Environment Court.
Central to the court case was whether the land was needed for future industrial growth in the city or whether or not a residential development would be an appropriate use of the land. Upper Hutt City Council’s position was that the land should remain available for future industrial opportunities and thus retain its Business Industrial zoning.
The Court supported Council’s evidence, finding that the land should be protected for future industrial use. They concluded that it was not suitable to be developed for housing. The Court also stated that adopting a long-term planning timeframe in respect of this was entirely appropriate.
The Court recognised that the land was highly attractive for future business use, as it is the last and largest remaining significant area of undeveloped Business Industrial land that Upper Hutt has. It is also of significant value to the rest of the Wellington region, where few other commercial development opportunities exist. The additional benefits are proximity to a workforce, topography, and the existing infrastructure which led the Court to conclude that it was a highly attractive site for a wide range of business uses.
The Court concluded that the land was not suited for residential development because it was poorly connected to other neighbourhoods, facilities and services. They also noted that the Council had already identified a number of other satisfactory options for accommodating anticipated future residential demand.
Richard Harbord, Director of Planning and Regulatory Services at Upper Hutt City Council said, “We’re delighted with the Court’s decision. It confirms the strategic direction for the city’s growth that already exists in both the District Plan and the Urban Growth Strategy. The Court endorsed our approach of looking many years ahead when planning for the city’s growth and development.”
“This decision will allow us to move forward with more certainty,” says Council’s Chief Executive, Chris Upton. “We can offer potential investors in Upper Hutt the opportunity to move into a location that is highly appropriate for business use which is recognised as a strong and sustainable vision for the future of business growth in Upper Hutt.”