Where do you stand on the Rolleston Domain being chopped up for Business Development?
Anne
Candidate Answers
Candidate
Answer
The existing Business 1 zoned land in Rolleston should be used before any of the Rolleston Reserve is considered for business purposes.
The Rolleston Reserve is an important greenspace for Rolleston. It was developed by the community, for the community and should be retained for the community.
I opposed the SDC\'s Rolleston Reserve Land Exchange Proposal, and the now withdrawn Rolleston Town Centre Masterplan. When the staff present a reworked Retail Masterplan to council, prior to public consultation, it should include options that utilise the Business 1 zoned land opposite the Warehouse before using the reserve.
Mark Alexander (September 28 2010)
NO , I am strongly against any development over nature recreation land
Hi Anne. The short answer is \'no\'. The longer answer involves the poor planning performance of the current and previous Councils and Community Boards. I believe that previous (and present) groups have acquiesced with developers and assumed that, if more land was needed for retail or commercial, the Reserve was always available. What a shock they had when the community said \'no\'! Certainly, the retail hub of Rolleston is disjointed and will be split, eventually, by two roads (currently by Tennyson Street). The community will, under my watch, be given the final say as to whether they want their shopping precinct to be split like Hornby\'s or whether they are prepared to sacrifice the central reserve. I can already predict the outcome of this thanks to the passion of the community for their green spaces.
Let\'s also not forget the original part of Rolleston which has its own retail and commercial area. Council and Community Boards have been aware of this split since before Rolleston Drive was finished and when much land was still paddocks. They have chosen to do nothing but, again, have let the developers have their way. The older part of the town needs more than a prettying up of its streets . It needs to be joined, in a meaningful and community approved way, to the newer part. The whole town deserves better planning than has occurred up till now and it needs to be cohesive and community focussed. We can achieve better than current and previous \'representatives\'.
Thanks for the question
Peter Hill
Hi Anne,
Thanks for getting in touch. Obviously your question is fairly loaded so I want to look at the issue more broadly, if I may.
If you have read any of the material I have written for the election, my first point is that the Council needs to be much better at \"Really Long Term Planning\". The Selwyn District has a history of designating land for one use and then changing it. The problem is when land designated for sports and recreation is re-zoned it all becomes very emotive. I now hear the days of the excellent dog park may be numbered before it is relocated.
The council staff have completed a consultation document called \"Rolleston - Town Centre Concepts and Recreation Precinct Options - Public Consultation August 2010\". Consultation from this would have resulted in a plan for Rolleston which would have been broadly accepted by the community. Unfortunately two council candidates signed a flyer, supposedly from the Rolleston Residents’ Association and have derailed this process. Legal opinion has been sought a this appears to be a breach of the Local Electoral Act 2001. The Electoral Officer has decided not to take action as time and energy can be spent better on other things.
Great towns are based on having a heart and having great green spaces for sport, recreation and leisure. Where do I stand on “chopping up Rolleston Reserve for Business Development”? - Broadly against it. However if we had Councillors in the past with the skills and experience to plan properly, we would not have the current flip-flopping. Now is the time to have a serious long-term look at how we want Rolleston to look in 30 or 50 years time.
Our son is nearly 11 months old and hopefully he will be joined by siblings soon. The view I have as a Council Candidate is rather more that that of other candidates simply wanting a retirement income. A vote for me is a vote for “Youthful Vigour and Financial Rigour” – and a bright future for our children.
I hope this has answered your question. Please contact me if you would like to discus further.
Best wishes,
Bevan Killick,
Council Candidate for Selwyn Central
3473449 (hm), 0211399161 (mb) or bevankillick@hotmail.com
Hi Anne
I have not opposed the proposal to consider some commercial/civic development on part of the reserve to date. It is really important that we retain \"green space\" in the reserve as it is the only area available for the more established part of the town and provides extra space for Rolleston School, but I don\'t believe it is as attractive and inviting as it could be (eg. I have walked from the council headquarters to the library, but it is a \'functional walk\' that is only available when the grounds are not too wet or muddy, rather than a \"pleasurable stroll\"). However as a supporter of keeping things local, it is also important to have a business centre that works, attracting residents from other parts of the district to our main centre as well as from within Rolleston. I am not an expert in urban design, though definitely recognise the difference good design makes, so am open to suggestions from the consultants working on this project as well as to the feedback from members of the public on the various options available. In my mind, I view the reserve as a potential Rolleston version of Victoria Square in Christchurch (including retaining the netball/tennis courts), whereas the recreation precinct (in the council owned area between Goulds, Springston-Rolleston and Dynes Roads beyond the dog exercise area) becomes more of a South Hagley park with the swimming complex, sports fields and facilities and potentially the high school.
There are many factors still to be considered, including the impact of the resource consent received for commercial development on the area between Rolleston and Masefield Drives subsequent to the original plans being prepared, which is one of the reasons the original timetable for public consultation has been delayed.
I believe it is also important to note that any such development on the reserve is not intended in the short term. For instance, I have heard comments that the just completed community park next to the library is going to be taken away soon. If the new/extended library planned for Rolleston stays in its existing location, I would support some outdoor play equipment being maintained in the vicinity. If it is determined that the main community park is best located in the recreation precinct, such as near the swimming complex, this might not happen for five or ten years, which is a new generation or two of young people ready to have some input on what they want, although the existing equipment is relocatable.
It will be up to the incoming council to determine the new timeline for the town centre and recreation precinct consultation process, which is likely to include information being sent to each household and a series of open days. I would encourage everyone to partcipate in the discussion of how their town grows with an open mind.
