New Brighton Mall

Hi. A wee while ago in the regional column you republished a press release about the Environment Court allowing the Christchurch City Council to place a road through New Brighton mall, which has been pedestrian for almost a generation of young parents and children.

There is a playground in the area, and the mall has an ambiance of a plaza, combining parklike and specialty shopping.

New Brighton Mall has been advertised as a 'local park' on the Christchurch City Council's website.

The Environment Court ruling was that, to maintain and improve commercial viability 'something had to be done' ... yet it did not rule that a cost/benefit analysis that included social and environmental factors must be done. The Council has refused to carry out such evaluations. The Council has also refused to carry out a survey of residents desires.

The Environment Court has more recently ruled that no costs shall be awarded against either party. This means that the Court considers that the appeal against the Council has been deemed in the public interest, and not frivolous.

Since the Council has no legal requirement to act on any community consultation or opposition, to be considered non-frivolous by the Environment Court indicates that significant problems involving accuracy, believability, appropriate actions, and community interest have been brought into being by the Council's actions.

I hope that Scoop publishes the Court's recent decision on costs.

Regards Stephen Macdonald Luke.

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