David’ takes on trucking Goliath to stop greenbelt container terminal

Ngaruawahia and Horotiu area residents angered by a proposal to construct a container terminal and truckstop on farmland beside the State Highway 1 southern approach to Ngaruawahia have formed an action group to gather support for their stand.

The newly-formed group, named ‘GreenGate’, includes residents immediately adjacent to the proposed industrial site, as well as town dwellers from Ngaruawahia.

The container terminal and truckstop have been proposed by trucking firm LCL Transport, who currently operate out of the front yard of the Horotiu Meatworks. The site runs between Park Rd in the south and Saulbrey Rd in the north, with the railway line bordering it on the west, and SH1 on the east.

Paul Kirton, himself a Park Rd neighbour, said “almost all local residents are outraged that LCL is attempting to plonk a major industrial activity on land that has always been rural, and is still planned to be rural in the Council’s brand new District Plan.”

“It will completely change the rural character of the area and the green approach to Ngaruawahia, putting dozens of large containers two-high along the main road, with large trailer-trucks coming and going, loading and refueling at all hours between 4am and 10pm.”

“LCL itself says up to 150 of these trucks every day will turn on and off an extremely busy State Highway onto Park Rd, a narrow rural road containing many family residences on a school bus run. Due to the diesel truckstop part of the operation, we believe there will be many more vehicles, ” he said.

“On top of the destruction of the area’s character, the traffic implications of this plan are a recipe for disturbance, danger and disaster.”

GreenGate acknowledged that Transit NZ, the State Highway operator, had also indicated opposition to the proposal – “we hope they stick to their guns and continue to reject this unsafe and unsound plan,” Mr Kirton said.

The group has been collecting signatures in the area on a petition opposing the truck and container terminal proposal and calling for the Waikato District Council to ensure any hearing into LCL’s consent application is notified, giving locals a chance to have a say.

To date, over 600 people have signed the petition, with opposition signs also appearing on fences in the area, as well as a large banner on the Delta Tavern, facing traffic entering the town from the north.

GreenGate is currently preparing a formal objection to the consent application, due in by 15th December, and will be encouraging locals to make their own objection known to the Council.

ENDS

© Scoop Media