The appeal period on the Plan Change for the Regional Sports Park closed on Monday. While not unexpected, I was disappointed that an appeal was lodged by a group of horticulturalists who want to protect the soils on the Heretaunga Plains.
The Sports Park is a 50-year visionary project which seeks to add significant value to our social and recreational wellbeing. It is not just about building facilities - it is about changing lifestyles and health outcomes.
The provision of extra recreational space will always require land and we have tried to locate it in an area that is close to both Hastings and Napier on easily-travelled roads and public transport routes.
The net effect of the appeal is to put the construction on hold, including the Grandstand. I have obviously asked the appellant group to consider removing the grandstand from their appeal. We have the money, the drawings and are ready to go to tender.
The zoning rules allow for the athletics track and grandstand as of right. However, because the grandstand is 2.5m higher than what is allowed as of right, a consent is required. I am hopeful this can all be quickly resolved so the athletics track component, including the grandstand, can be finished before the summer next year.
The more significant issue surrounding the appeal centres on the long-term planning and use of the land on the Heretaunga Plains. It is some of the best in the world, yet its productive value constantly struggles to compete with the values associated with other uses.
The Council is constantly being asked to change land use to either residential or industrial uses. These requests usually come from the land owners who have toiled for years on these very good soils, yet have often only received a fraction of the end value of their products.
I am not saying for one minute that we have the answer to the dilemma. We have a world that is rapidly becoming short of food, yet the value signals returning to the growers are slow and long and often confused.
As we deal with the long-term worldwide food shortage and the current economic meltdown, there will be various scenarios to be considered.
The long-term strategy about the use of the Heretaunga Plains is very important and complex. We have applications on our books for houses, rest homes and factories to name a few.
There is demand for all these uses and usually the current producer on the land is looking to exit the industry with as much cash as possible. How we develop a strategy to handle these competing uses is one of our more significant priorities.
Those are my thoughts for the week.
I’m Lawrence Yule.
