Roskill Community Voice Media Release

5 August 2016

Three Kings Environment Court ruling a victory for community

“The Environment Court’s ruling on development plans for Three Kings Quarry is a major victory for the community over one of New Zealand’s largest corporates and the government”, says Roskill Community Voice member of the Local Board Harry Doig. Mr Doig has been leading the Board’s efforts to oppose the Fletchers plan for the quarry and appeared in the court case.

“The court’s judgment is well reasoned and enlightened. In the seventy seven page judgment, the court expresses support for a major residential development on the site and notes that all parties agree it is a good site for a large number of houses. However, the court notes major deficiencies in the Fletchers plan that need to be addressed:

• A failure to adequately consider the impact of fill levels on the quality of the urban design, and a failure to carry out consultation on fill levels as mandated by a previous court ruling.

• Fundamental urban design problems stemming from a 17 metre drop into the quarry from the surrounding area, with the Court directing that this be reduced to 9 metres.

• Inadequate and compromised connections to the surrounding community, largely as a result of the dramatic level changes from the surrounding area to the quarry floor.

• Insensitivity to the sensitive volcanic landscape around Big King/Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta, with a recommendation to remove one large building from Western Park and make adjustments elsewhere on the site.

“It is satisfying to see these points affirmed in the Court’s judgment, as they have been made by the community and the Roskill Community Voice majority on the Puketapapa Local Board for years but ignored by Fletchers and the Governing Body of Council. Fletchers have fundamentally failed to listen to the community, and the Council organisation has taken an approach of simply facilitating the Fletchers Plan rather than casting a constructive, critical eye over it. As a result, a great deal of time and resource has been wasted”

“With clear direction from the court, now is the time for the parties to come together and negotiate a sensible agreed settlement. Everyone agrees that this is a good site for housing. We encourage Fletchers to come to the table and constructively work with the community to develop an agreed solution that satisfies our desire for a quality development that respects the local environment and integrates with the surrounding community”, says Mr Doig.

ENDS

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