15 June 2011

Action for Environment Inc

P O Box 10030

Wellington

NEWS RELEASE

Action for Environment condemns Council 'capitulation' on Town Belt

Action for Environment has criticised the Wellington City Council for agreeing to the extension the badminton hall into the Town Belt, despite resource consent being declined by independent commissioners. A for E chairman, David Lee, said his group is concerned that the council which had "strongly and successfully opposed consent for this proposal had then capitulated at mediation".

"While the agreed extension will protect two formerly threatened beech trees, it will still have, what council officers argued at the resource consent hearing, 'unacceptable adverse effects'. The proposal will still result in the loss of the Town Belt's finite open space amenity; it will still result in large earthworks, the construction of an industrial scale building and change to the Town Belt's landscape. We are at loss to understand the council’s about face on these issues”.

"This extension is inconsistent with the Open Space C zoning of the Town Belt. It will not promote sustainable management of the Town Belt's open space values and will prioritise one type of formal (indoor) recreation over more informal uses of the Town Belt”.

“It is also inconsistent with Wellington Town Belt Management Plan and the Town Belt Deed which the commissioners considered relevant under the Resource Management Act. As trustee of the Town Belt, under the Deed, the council has an obligation to hand on its open space as intact as possible to future generations”.

"Recent disclosures have shown that the widening of State Highway One in Hataitai will require the loss of Town Belt land as well as demolition of the existing badminton hall. This presents an opportunity for the council to facilitate badminton's move to another venue off the Town Belt".

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