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North Canterbury Housing Development Drags On
The fate of a proposed North Canterbury housing development is no closer to being known, more than two years after the Waimakariri District Council first rejected it.
Rolleston Industrial Developments Limited has withdrawn its Environment Court appeal against the council's November 2023 decision to reject a private plan change for the proposed 850 home subdivision.
But the company is proceeding with an appeal against the Waimakariri District Plan, which was adopted in June.
It is one of 21 appeals against the District Plan.
The proposed Ohoka housing development was included for consideration in the government's Fast-track Approvals Act, along with proposed sub-divisions in west Rangiora and Gressons Road, Woodend.
The other two sub-divisions were included in the District Plan, but independent commissioners recommended the Ohoka development be declined.
It was the second time independent commissioners have rejected the Ohoka development, following the rejection of the private plan change in November 2023.
No date has been set for the Environment Court hearing.
Rolleston Industrial Developments Ltd also has the option of applying to the Ministry for the Environment for the project to be considered under the fast-track process, after it was listed in the Fast-track Approvals Act last year.
The Oxford-Ohoka Community Board and the Ohoka Residents' Association are among the interested parties named for the court hearing and will be opposing the development.
Oxford-Ohoka Community Board deputy chairperson Thomas Robson said the drawn-out process was "rather frustrating".
"The take away for me is that it's just a shame that they have so many cracks at it, there's just so many options for them to drag it out.
"Unfortunately for residents, there's no light at the end of the tunnel. The process seems very unclear."
-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.
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