<> To: Chief Reporter

From: Kristi Gray, Communications team

Date: 22 November, 2006

Christchurch City Council media release

Council to hear submissions on Draft Hagley Park/Botanic Gardens Master Plan

More than 100 people will speak to their submissions on the Draft Hagley Park/Botanic Gardens Master Plans.

Hearings will take place on Monday December 4 and Friday 15 December between 9am and 5pm in the Council Chambers. The Mayor and councillors Broughton, Corbett, Condon, Evans, Parker, Shearing and Withers will listen to and consider the submissions.

While there will be many individual submitters, others will be from groups such as the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, sports groups, garden clubs, Canterbury Horticultural Society, Landcare Research, Canterbury District Health Board, Department of Conservation, the Christchurch Civic Trust and neighbourhood groups.

Christchurch City Council Planner Derek Roozen who has prepared a report on the submissions for the Council says most of the 597 submitters to this round of public consultation had responded to the 56 proposals from the plan.

"Last time we had consultation, people focused on a variety of issues,'' he says. "This time, they have made reasoned comments on the proposed projects. We had less comment on some of the "big ticket items'' and more on those that involve radical change.'

However submitters have raised issues about easy access to and parking at the Park and Gardens,'' says Mr Roozen.

Ends

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