AdvertisementIn May, the council decided to initiate a change to the District Plan which, if approved, would remove the current residential zoning and prevent any future development in the fanhead area. The decision came despite pleas from property owners, who have been told a retreat package would be offered, dependent on financial support from the regional council and government. Pearce was also furious over what she saw as a lack of consultation or transparency by the council. One previous report found the Awatarariki fanhead was a high-hazard zone with a person having a one in 10,000 chance or greater of being killed by a debris flow in any year. The committee also agreed to add $250,000 to the 2017/18 Annual Plan to underwrite the cost of the private plan change process.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 05, 2017 01:18 UTC