12 July 2007

Aviators Face Eviction from Bullying Auckland Developer

After 50 year’s contribution to aviation at Paraparaumu Airport, Kapiti Districts Aero Club faces termination of their 30 year lease and eviction by their Auckland landlord, developer Noel Robinson.

This was revealed today at a Kapiti Coast District Council meeting by Lyndy McIntyre, of the Turn The Tide group and candidate for Raumati/Paekakariki Ward in the upcoming local body elections.

She was supported by Councillor Alan Tristram who urged the Council to disassociate itself entirely from the ‘bullying’ tactics of the developer’s lawyer.

Cr Tristram put forward a motion calling on the Council to disassociate itself entirely from any move to coerce the Kapiti Aero Club into moving from its present premises.

Cnr Tristram was supported by the deputy Mayor, Ann Chapman, and Cr Hilary Wooding, but six councillors, and Mayor Alan Milne voted against the motion.

Ms McIntyre told the Council: “Throughout the campaign by this developer to foist his big box commercial development on Kapiti, our Aero Club has consistently taken a strong stand for safety and opposed the developer's plans to shorten and move the east/west runaway.

“In what can only be described as bullying tactics, the developers are now threatening to evict the club on the fictitious grounds that the club rooms need to make way for an entrance road required by the Council.”

Lyndy McIntyre read excerpts from a letter to the club from the developer’s lawyers, claiming that KCDC requires a road to go through the club rooms.

She added: “Investigations with the council have revealed that the road used to justify the eviction is a figment of the developer’s imagination. “

Ms McIntyre, who arrived at the Council public speaking session with a chocolate -box of airport documents, challenged councillors to wake up to the bullying of a respected local group.

“Are you willing to do anything at all to protect good, honest local people, operating a successful business training pilots and providing skilled employment for many local people?” she asked.

She said it was hard to view the letter as anything other than a threat to break the Aero Club’s secure 30-year lease on the present site and to push them somewhere out of the developer’s way.

ENDS

© Scoop Media