Latest news with #WairarapaCombinedDistrictPlan
Scoop
20-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
From ‘Golden Goose' To Wastewater Site: Farm Plan Sparks Debate
South Wairarapa District Council has been accused of breaching its duties as a trustee of Pain Farm. At a Wairarapa Combined District Plan hearing on Monday, submitters pushed back on the council's request to designate the gifted farmland for the operation, maintenance, and improvement of a wastewater disposal facility. One submitter described the farm as a "golden goose for children" of Martinborough, and did not want the council to use it as a dumping site for the town's treated wastewater. By law, for a designation to be granted, the council should give adequate consideration to alternative sites, routes, or methods of undertaking the work 'if the requiring authority does not have an interest in the land sufficient for undertaking the work'. The planner who spoke on behalf of the council argued that because the council 'owned' the land and had a resource consent, consideration of alternative sites, routes, or methods was not considered necessary. But submitter Alison Clements said the council's resource consent, granted by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in 2016, was 'not worth the paper it's written on'. 'South Wairarapa District Council does not 'own' Pain Farm, and it has no right to use the land as though it were a council asset to be used for council purposes. 'It holds the Pain Farm land but it does not own it. It is the trustee." Pain Farm was bequeathed to the former Martinborough Borough Council by George Pain in 1932 to be used as 'a sports ground for the residents of Martinborough and as a playground for the children'. A 1966 court order meant income generated from the land could be used to fund park, sport, and recreation activities in Martinborough. It is currently operating as a farm and is the site of the Martinborough Transfer Station. Clements said the council had a legal duty to operate the trust 'strictly in accordance with the trust terms; and for the sole benefit of the trust's beneficiaries'. 'A trustee must not use trust assets for self-use. That would be a conflict of interest, as well as a violation of the terms of the trust, and of the law.' She said George Pain's desire for the land to be a sports ground, and a playground for the children, 'could not be further away from the council's proposal to use the land as a place to distribute waste water'. She asked the independent Commissioner David McMahon to reject the proposed designation. McMahon said it was not within his jurisdiction to rule on trust matters but asked the council to come back with clarity on whether it had 'an interest in the land sufficient for undertaking the work' as per the Resource Management Act. He suggested the council 'volunteer' some conditions of the designation and further justify why a designation was needed to 'authorise works over and above what is already authorised by the regional council consent'. Any ability to implement a consent would depend on land ownership matters being resolved, he said. Submitter Jenny Boyne, who spoke on behalf of her mum Beverley Clark, said Pain Farm was the 'golden goose for the children of Martinborough'. If the land was to become 'a disposal field for the town's waste, the income from the land would be slashed as the land will not be sought after for cropping or finishing livestock for export". She said an alternative solution to using the Pain Farm land was that the council could call for expressions of interest from other landowners 'if they would like to use the treated wastewater to irrigate their gardens or green spaces', or to pipe the treated wastewater to irrigate the Martinborough Golf Club. 'My mum lives directly across the road from Pain Farm and has lived there for 26 years and in the Martinborough Ward for 66 years, and is prepared to make a stand and say, 'not in my backyard'." Decisions on designations would be made at a later date.
Scoop
24-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Future Of ‘Grand Old Lady' In Hands Of Commissioner
Masterton will likely find out next month whether its century-old town hall will be demolished or whether it will be given a stay of execution. Commissioner Alistair Auburn heard passionate arguments for and against the demolition last week and would likely make his decision on granting demolition consent before the end of May. The town hall was closed in 2016 after it was deemed to be earthquake-prone. The council voted last year to demolish the town hall and municipal buildings and build anew at a cost of no more than $25 million. However, it needed resource consent to do so as the building was listed as a heritage item in the Wairarapa Combined District Plan. Former Masterton Mayor Bob Francis supported the case for demolition at the hearing and said there had been a lack of any progress for almost a decade and that now was the right time to progress a new town hall build. He said what the council was proposing was achievable within budget and that he was already working on external fundraising options. Developer David Borman also threw his support behind demolition at the hearing and said the structural issues with the town hall and municipal buildings meant it would cost more money to strengthen than to rebuild. He said materials from the existing structures would be salvaged and incorporated into any new build. 'We have a council that was voted in to get things moving, which they have done,' he said. 'Nine years is too long. Let's get on with it.' A majority of submitters spoke against demolition, including Robyn Prior who said the consent process felt like the council was 'steam rolling a pre-determined outcome'. She said 'new doesn't mean better', and that this was not the financial climate to commit ratepayers to 'this sort of unnecessary expense'. 'First and foremost, this grand old lady adds to the ambience, spirit, and culture of our town, even as it is,' she said. 'If you allow it to be destroyed, you will take something irreplaceable away from us, and our community will be the poorer for it.' Masterton Ratepayers and Residents Association president Lyn Riley said the ongoing debate over the town hall had been 'marked by controversy, complaints, protests, and frustration, alongside errors and anomalies'. 'It has stirred strong emotions and divided our community. But this issue is not merely about bricks and mortar—it is about the spirit of Masterton: our shared identity, history, and the legacy we pass to future generations. 'Once these buildings are gone, they are lost forever. No modern structure or architectural drawing can replicate their historical value or the deep connection they provide to those who came before us.' She said demolition was not necessary for public safety, and that there was no imminent danger. 'Alternatives do exist that are both financially comparable and more culturally respectful. So why is demolition being pursued so urgently? 'Proceeding without a firm plan for what comes next is simply poor leadership. 'The only reason they need to demolish is for the purpose of constructing a new building. A new building where there are no plans, and unlikely to come in under $25m.' She asked the Commissioner to decline the demolition consent. If the consent was approved, she asked for some conditions to be attached, which included no demolition before there was confirmation that the project could be delivered within the $25m budget, and clear plans for offsetting ratepayer costs through fundraising. She also asked that there be no demolition until the Government's Earthquake-Prone Building System Review was completed. – LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
