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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A small North Canterbury community group’s efforts to build a new hall in the local domain has received the backing of its local community board.
The Sefton Public Hall Society plans to build a new community hall at the Sefton Domain, which is … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A small North Canterbury community group’s efforts to build a new hall in the local domain has received the backing of its local community board.
The Sefton Public Hall Society plans to build a new community hall at the Sefton Domain, which is expected to cost about $3.3 million.
After obtaining a lease for 900m2 of land at the domain, the society engaged consultancy firm TMCo, which assessed the site, and found the wastewater system had ‘‘failed’’.
‘‘The water from the septic tank was ponding and not draining away,’’ society president Ian Lochhead said.
The council was contacted and portaloos have been placed on the site.
The Woodend-Sefton Community Board met last week and recommended the council’s community and recreation committee approve funding of up to $180,000 to replace the wastewater system.
The news is a relief to the society, as the project’s costs were already escalating, Lochhead said.
The society has already spent nearly $84,000 on preliminary work and initial designs.
Estimated costs have more than doubled over the last few years to $3.3 million due in part to rising material costs.
The proposed new building will include a main hall with a floor area of 304m2, a meeting room and commercial kitchen.
It will also have outdoor sports changing facilities and a toilet, which will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to replace the domain sports pavilion.
‘‘It is future proofing our community for 50 years, and maybe longer,’’ Lochhead said.
To date the society has raised about a third of the funds needed through cash and assets, including earthquake insurance, a $200,000 contribution from the council and funds raised from raffles and quiz nights.
The council has also agreed to fund the cost of a resource consent.
The society plans to sell the old Sefton Hall site on Upper Sefton Rd, along with the former Sefton Library site to boost the funds.
It is ready to make a big fundraising push, and will apply for community grants and look for sponsors.
The old Sefton Hall was built in 1966 to replace an earlier hall.
But it was damaged in 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, leaving it at about 37 percent of the building code.
An engineering assessment was completed in 2017, followed by a feasibility study in 2020.
Repairing the hall would require bringing it to 67% of code and cost close to $1 million.
It is still used almost every day by various different community groups, Lochhead said.
‘‘The council has allowed us to use it without doing major works because they know we have a plan for the new build.’’
The domain is used by the Ashley Rugby Club, Sefton Cricket Club, Sefton Tennis Club and various other activities.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Tradies! Kick off the morning with a FREE BBQ breakfast and join guest speaker Lance Burdett to learn ways to build your personal resilience.
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… View moreTradies! Kick off the morning with a FREE BBQ breakfast and join guest speaker Lance Burdett to learn ways to build your personal resilience.
📅 Thurs 25 July from 6:15am
📍 Southbrook Park Rugby Football Clubrooms
🍽️ Breakfast from 6:15am
🎤 Lance Burdett from 7 – 8:30am
🛠️ Plus, win one of two Paslode FrameMaster framing nail guns worth $1000 each! As well as other prizes thanks to our local supporters: Mike Greer Homes, Rangiora ITM, Millbrook Kitchens, Plumbing World and PAK’nSAVE Rangiora.
It’s easy to create your very own colourful planter box, with the kids or for the kids to enjoy, from an old wooden drawer and Resene testpots.
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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A small community fears a proposed gun sports park could ruin their rural outlook in North Canterbury.
Loburn resident Marie Jones said locals are concerned the proposed airsoft sports facility will devalue their properties and impact the rural setting.… View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A small community fears a proposed gun sports park could ruin their rural outlook in North Canterbury.
Loburn resident Marie Jones said locals are concerned the proposed airsoft sports facility will devalue their properties and impact the rural setting.
However, the director of the company behind the park says it's a family sport and could actually increase local house values.
Christchurch-based Arena Ltd has applied to the Waimakariri District Council for a resource consent to establish an airsoft sports and recreation activity park on Fishers Rd, near Loburn.
Similar to paintball, the sport uses airsoft pellets instead of bullets.
Jones said she found out about the proposal after a neighbour, who runs a business in Rangiora, overheard a conversation and then contacted the council.
The neighbours got together last week, fearing the consent could be approved without being notified.
The council had been trying to sell a 6.5-hectare block for sometime, before subdividing the property, with Arena Ltd buying 4ha.
Residents were concerned about the fire risk from the property, where the spraying noxious weeds has not been kept up, Jones said.
‘‘As neighbours we have phoned the council at least twice a year to do something.
‘‘It is always a danger waiting to happen.’’
The Loburn community was devastated by a major fire in the district in January.
Fishers Rd is narrow and not designed to take increased traffic and has a blind rise just before the property, she said.
A Waimakariri District Council spokesperson confirmed a resource consent application has been received to operate an airsoft sports facility at Loburn.
The application is on hold while the council seeks further information from the applicant.
Once the information has been received, the council will process the application as either a non-notified, limited notified or publicly notified consent.
Arena Ltd director Ken Yep said the company has been operating an airsoft sports facility near Christchurch since 2011.
‘‘We are trying to replicate it in more of a natural forest setting.’’
He said he was keen to preserve the natural forestry on the site, and was working to clear away the noxious weeds.
Arena Ltd was working with council planners and had brought in engineers to assess the likely noise levels and was planning to design fire breaks.
Yep said the park would mainly be open in the weekends, with some private groups onsite during the week.
‘‘I don’t think it will drop their property values at all and I think it will increase their values.
‘‘It is gun related, but it is a proper sport and everyone enjoys it and we get a lot of young people and families coming out.
‘‘We are not some weird group which causes all sorts of problems.’’
Yep said he would be happy to meet with residents to address their concerns.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Community concerns over the environmental impact of a proposed landfill in North Canterbury have led to a local community board taking a stand.
The Rangiora-Ashley Community Board will make a submission against a landfill being proposed by Christchurch … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Community concerns over the environmental impact of a proposed landfill in North Canterbury have led to a local community board taking a stand.
The Rangiora-Ashley Community Board will make a submission against a landfill being proposed by Christchurch firm Protranz Earthmoving Limited at its quarry at White Rock, near North Loburn.
Protranz has lodged resource consent applications with Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council to construct and operate a proposed landfill for the disposal of building and demolition waste, and contaminated soil material.
Board chairperson Jim Gerard said the community board members decided to stand alongside the local community, who were concerned about the risks to groundwater and the local Karetu River.
He said the board would seek financial assistance from the Waimakariri District Council to seek specialist advice to help prepare its submission.
‘‘We are representing the community so we need to ensure whatever information we do present, is presented as well as it is able to be.’’
At a recent meeting, a sub-committee of Gerard and board members Ivan Campbell and Kirstyn Barnett, who represent the board’s Ashley sub-division, was appointed to work on the submission.
Gerard said he had met with White Rock and North Loburn residents to discuss their concerns.
‘‘We talked about what we were doing and have kept them informed.’’
A residents’ group is preparing its own submission.
Oxford residents and the Oxford-Ohoka Community Board were recently successful in their opposition to a proposed landfill at View Hill, near Oxford.
Questions have been raised about whether another landfill is needed, given the Kate Valley Landfill, a regional landfill in North Canterbury, has plenty of capacity.
‘‘It is particularly well managed and internationally noted for its operation,’’ Gerard said.
‘‘We would hope any consent, if granted, will cover all of those things.’’
The Burwood Landfill in Christchurch had its consent to operate extended last month for another two years to June 2026, because it has yet to reach its capacity.
About 100 White Rock and Loburn residents attended a public meeting in February and have since formed an incorporated society to organisation the opposition to the landfill proposal.
Spokesperson Mike McCaleb said there ‘‘was a high degree of anger, disappointment and resentment’’ expressed by people throughout North Canterbury.
‘‘So many people were depressed, stressed and feeling hopeless about their ability to affect the proceedings.’’
Bouyed by the recent Oxford landfill decision, the residents now feel more confident.
‘‘We are a small community with a big heart. We have many passionate and committed professionals in our community.’’
McCaleb said residents were concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
Increased truck movements was another concern, particularly trucks carrying asbestos and other contaminants to the landfill.
Protranz general manager Shaun Coakley said he respected the community board’s decision.
‘‘We knew the development of critical infrastructure such as a managed fill landfill would attract attention from the local community, hence our decision to voluntarily publicly notify.
‘‘Whether by providing additional information that clarifies their issues or collaborating to establish consent conditions that mitigate their concerns, we're committed to an open dialogue.’’
Consents have been lodged with both Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council, and are on hold, awaiting more information.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Winter is here and it is a great time to get all your interior painting and decorating projects sorted.
Get in touch with Andy and the friendly team
We're looking for delicious orange recipes to feature in NZ Gardener's October issue. Send your family's favourite ways to enjoy this fruit to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz by August 20, 2024. Every published recipe wins a copy of the October issue of NZ Gardener.
Not only can he not follow the councils own processes and rules but he also cost the ratepayers a $66k investigation, so he's clearly no fit to represent the region.
www.thepress.co.nz...
Winter isn’t usually associated with pottering about in the garden. However, it’s possible to grow, harvest, and share a bustling winter crop.
As we have celebrated Matariki and the beginning of the Māori New Year, for winter gardeners it’s the right time to cultivate crops that thrive in… View moreWinter isn’t usually associated with pottering about in the garden. However, it’s possible to grow, harvest, and share a bustling winter crop.
As we have celebrated Matariki and the beginning of the Māori New Year, for winter gardeners it’s the right time to cultivate crops that thrive in cooler temperatures and to prepare the soil for future planting.
Click read more for the full story.
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