Annabel Young National List MP

30 April 2001

Govt takes sneaky approach to flog off town belt land

Sneaky advertisements in the Evening Post on Easter Saturday (14 April) are the first steps in another attempt by the Labour-Alliance Government to sell off Town Belt land, Wellington based National List MP Annabel Young said today.

The notice was advertised in the middle of the busy Easter weekend and only two weeks were given for any objections to be lodged. The Friends of the Wellington Town Belt are trying to stop the sale but so far their objections have fallen on deaf ears in the Government.

"Capital Coast Health is trying to flog off land in Kelburn and Thorndon. This land used to be in the town belt but was removed without any land being substituted. They use the excuse that some of the land has reserve status. That is fudging the issue as it all used to be in the Town Belt," Annabel Young said.

Sites on Clifton Terrace, Everton Terrace, Talavera Terrace, Katherine Avenue, Hobson Street, Molesworth Street, Gladstone Terrace, Kelburn Parade, and Salamanca Road are all for sale.

"There is a long history of Government assurances about the preservation of Wellington's Town Belt but these are just being ignored.

"The Minister of Health is a local MP and she should be standing up for the city she calls 'home'. And where is Wellington Central MP and Environment Minister Marian Hobbs?

"The Government should be ashamed of this sneaky attempt to rob Wellington of its assets," Annabel Young said.

Ends

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