Latest news with #WaimakaririDistrictCouncil
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Mixed Reaction As Councils Told To Halt Planning Work
The Government's call to halt planning work has taken North Canterbury council leaders by surprise. Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform Minister Chris Bishop has put a stop to councils working on District and Regional Plans until the new RMA legislation takes effect. ''Rather than let these pricey, pointless planning and policy processes play out, we will be giving councils clarity on where to focus their efforts while they await the new planning system,'' Mr Bishop said at the Local Government NZ conference in Christchurch last week. The shake-up of the RMA is expected to come into effect in 2027. The Waimakariri District Council recently completed its District Plan, and barring any Environment Court appeals, it will become operative next month. But the Hurunui and Kaikōura district councils are just starting out on their District Plan reviews. Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said he welcomed any initiative which streamlines planning processes and reduces the financial and capacity burdens on councils. ''However, it's essential that these changes still allow for meaningful local decision-making. ''Our recently notified District Plan represents a major investment in the future of our district, built on years of dedicated work and community engagement. ''Growth is important, but it must not come at any cost. We need development that is sustainable, well-planned, and aligned with the aspirations of our residents.'' Mr Gordon said local voices must remain central to local planning. Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said his council welcomed the pause, but he would seek some clarity around potential plan changes. ''We have held off doing it (the District Plan review) on the basis this (new legislation) was coming up and we didn't want to waste the effort.'' The Kaikōura District Council has been working through a review of its District Plan, which was adopted in 2008. Council chief executive Will Doughty said the announcement will stifle the council's attempts to make changes to benefit the community. ''We have just awarded a contract to our consultants to work on the first two or three chapters. ''We always knew reform was under way, but we took an approach to respond to the needs of our community, while being flexible enough to review and respond to any changes.'' Mr Doughty said the council faced criticism that the ''rules are prohibitive'', so it was keen to update the plan. Mr Bishop said money is wasted on planning review processes, which is required under the existing RMA. ''The Government will suspend councils' mandatory RMA requirements to undertake plan and regional policy statement reviews every ten years, and the requirement to implement national planning standards.'' Mr Bishop said there will be some exemptions, including private plan changes and natural hazards planning. It means Cargill Station Ltd will be able to proceed with its private plan change to sub-divide sections in the Ocean Ridge development, south of Kaikōura, but the council may not be able to make any changes. Other council leaders from around the country expressed frustration, following Mr Bishop's address, at not being able to make changes to fix any planning issues, while private developers are still able to submit plan change requests.
Otago Daily Times
15-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Excitement builds for community centre
The residents of a small Canterbury township are getting excited as their promised $5.3m community centre development draws closer. The community centre in Pegasus has been in the pipeline for several years. It is now on track for a November 2026 opening. The Waimakariri District Council has completed its detailed design and plans to go out for tender next month. Pegasus Residents' Group Inc chairperson Matt James said the community has been waiting for a purpose-built centre for a number of years. ''There are metrics for when a community needs a community centre and I'm told we are well past that. ''We are really exciting about it.'' A temporary community centre was established in 2017, with the council leasing a building in Tahuna St. The Pegasus Residents Group Inc has been operating the centre under a memorandum of understanding with the district council. James said the landlord has been flexible in allowing the council to have a month-by-month extension on the lease, which is allowing the community to use the building until the new centre is built. ''This building is no longer fit for purpose because we can't have bigger crowds.'' The centre is serving a growing community, with the North Canterbury town now home to more than 4700 residents, including a number from overseas, he said. ''I'm told the majority of people at citizenship ceremonies in Waimakariri are from Pegasus, so we could hold ceremonies in the new centre.'' The proposed new multi-use facility will be built in an idyllic location on the Pegasus lakefront, with the council negotiating with the developer, Templeton Group, to buy the land. The new build will be almost 400 square metres, including space for multiple events, functions or meetings. The entry, accessible from Pegasus Main Street, will open into a spacious reception area. The design allows for an open-plan kitchen, which opens to a foyer area, a small meeting room and a formal boardroom with a kitchenette. Following consultation earlier this year council staff have refined the design, adding in Autex wall coverings for improved acoustics, with back supports and armrests, and sliding doors to the function rooms to improve the indoor/outdoor flow. The contract is set to out for tender next month, with the aim of awarding the contract in October, a district council spokesperson said. The $5.3m budget includes $1.1m for the land purchase and the balance for the build and landscaping. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Scoop
Damaging Storm Costs Waimakariri Council Nearly $1m
Severe weather and rain which hit Canterbury in May cost Waimakariri District Council nearly $1m in emergency works, but council staff say it could have been a lot worse. Speaking at a council meeting on Tuesday, July 1, the council's utilities and roading general manager Gerard Cleary said the investment of more than $20m in drainage improvements in Kaiapoi in recent years has paid off. Heavy rain swept through Canterbury between April 29 and May 2, causing flooding in Christchurch and Selwyn. In Waimakariri, there was damage to roading and three waters infrastructure, resulting in 49 services request and a repair bill of $972,953. ''This event really showed the benefit of some of the investment the council has made,'' Mr Cleary said. ''In previous events such as 2014 we saw substantial surface flooding in parts of Kaiapoi.'' The extra drainage capacity also relieved pressure from excess water getting into the sewer network, he said. Mr Cleary said around half of the nearly $1m of emergency works is being funded from existing budgets. With the majority of the expense for road repairs, the council has applied to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for emergency works funding. The Christchurch and Selwyn councils declared local states of emergency following the flooding, but Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said his council's infrastructure investment had made the district more resilient. ''When nature comes along we are bound to respond. It is what our community expects and we need to keep our community safe and protected. ''We were close to a declaration, but because of the work which had been done and the updates we received from Environment Canterbury, we felt we didn't need to. ''These aren't one off events and they are occurring more often than we would like so we need to keep on top of it.'' The council's investment from the 2024/34 Long Term Plan in an infrastructure resilience team also meant the district was prepared, he said. Mr Gordon said more work is planned to improve the district's resilience to future flooding, including for the Mandeville area. ''In our capital budgets for future years there is quite substantial money set aside for drainage projects and I know that the Mandeville drainage project, which I know councillor [Paul] Williams has been pushing for, would mean about $22m in debt if we choose to go to stage two.'' Mr Cleary said even with taking on extra debt to fund further infrastructure investment, the council would be able to respond to a future earthquake or major flood event. He said the council has insurance to cover its three waters infrastructure in a major event, and it can apply for NZTA emergency works funding, alongside debt funding. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Woman saves dog's bacon, hoofs it from Pegasus pig
Wendy Campion spotted the pig wandering along the street in Pegasus on Monday. Photo: Wendy Campion A woman in the North Canterbury township of Pegasus was surprised to see a large pig wandering local streets before beating a retreat when it charged at her. Wendy Campion was walking her Jack Russell-cross dog when she spotted what she at first thought was a very large shaggy dog - about the size of a Saint Bernard - on the loose on Monday morning. She then realised it was a big, hairy pig staring at them, and she took a photo. "I went no, that is definitely a pig, rather large one. He just stood and stared at us for a little while and then the next minute he comes charging across quite quickly," she said. Campion said as she was unsure how the pig or her 13-year-old dog would react, so she scooped her pet up and quickly moved on. "He went at quite a rate of knots. I didn't realised pigs could move so fast," she said. The pig was last seen continuing up the road towards the rugby fields. Campion said she posted the photo of the pig to her local Facebook page because she emigrated from the United Kingdom to New Zealand only last year, and had recently moved to Pegasus, so she was not sure if it was a typical visitor. "We're new to the country so we're not sure what goes on around here, but it is hilarious," she said. The Facebook post had not resulted in any owner coming forward but people had suggested the town change its name to Pig-asus. RNZ has contacted Waimakariri District Council see if staff have encountered the pig but it is yet to respond.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Woman saves dog's bacon, hoofs it from pig
Wendy Campion spotted the pig wandering along the street in Pegasus on Monday. Photo: Wendy Campion A woman in the North Canterbury township of Pegasus was surprised to see a large pig wandering local streets before beating a retreat when it charged at her. Wendy Campion was walking her Jack Russell-cross dog when she spotted what she at first thought was a very large shaggy dog - about the size of a Saint Bernard - on the loose on Monday morning. She then realised it was a big, hairy pig staring at them, and she took a photo. "I went no, that is definitely a pig, rather large one. He just stood and stared at us for a little while and then the next minute he comes charging across quite quickly," she said. Campion said as she was unsure how the pig or her 13-year-old dog would react, so she scooped her pet up and quickly moved on. "He went at quite a rate of knots. I didn't realised pigs could move so fast," she said. The pig was last seen continuing up the road towards the rugby fields. Campion said she posted the photo of the pig to her local Facebook page because she emigrated from the United Kingdom to New Zealand only last year, and had recently moved to Pegasus, so she was not sure if it was a typical visitor. "We're new to the country so we're not sure what goes on around here, but it is hilarious," she said. The Facebook post had not resulted in any owner coming forward but people had suggested the town change its name to Pig-asus. RNZ has contacted Waimakariri District Council see if staff have encountered the pig but it is yet to respond.
