Ashburton developers want ruling to ‘dispose’ of park

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Adam Burns:

Councillors will decide in the coming days as to whether it will allow the disposal of a small neighbourhood park, smoothing the road for a planned subdivision.

A request by developers for the Ashbury Grove subdivision to "dispose" Tinwald's Grove Street Park was reviewed at an extraordinary Ashburton District Council meeting on Wednesday.

The bid to discard the 880-square-metre council-owned park was so road access could be built to the subdivision. More than 30 property sections on land adjoining Grahams Rd and Groves St would be established if the development goes ahead.

Ashbury developers GS Holdings Ltd have previously come in for criticism around the council table for advertising sections to the public before a sub-division consent had been granted.

GS Holdings have proposed a bigger park for the planned development and are prepared to contribute $100,000 of playground equipment.

Ashbury Grove project manager Andrew Mason again defended how the process had unfolded at this week's meeting, in response to a suggestion by councillor Stuart Wilson that the firm was "presumptious".

"It's quite common and council have received a plan as part of our subdivision consent application that shows an alternate design," Mason said.

"On balance we thought this was a better outcome for the community."

About 80 per cent of a total 45 submissions backed the move to discard the park. Seven of 18 submitters from the Tinwald area were opposed, four of whom lived next door to the park.

The developers have previously said subdivision plans would continue if council blocked the proposal.

A decision on the proposal will be made at Wednesday's council meeting.