The Central Otago District Council (CODC) is considering a proposed change to its district plan to allow for residential and commercial waterfront development at Parkburn near Cromwell. The change has been requested by Fulton Hogan Limited, which wants to rehabilitate its quarry site at Parkburn to allow for the development.The area under consideration is 118ha adjoining the existing Pisa Moorings residential area.It would include business/industrial and business/mixed-use areas at the north of the site.An overhead view of the proposed development If the change proposal is successful, the additional housing will comprise 74 apartments, 112 low, 272 medium, 85 high-density lots, and six small commercial buildings totalling 1,725  square metres.The commercial aspect of the development would allow for hospitality/retail activity to be undertaken. An artist’s impression of the waterfront development, including restaurant/bar/retail areaThe success of the change proposal hinges on the successful adoption of Plan Change 19 (PC19), which allows for medium-density residential development to take place. The PC19 hearings will take place in late April.  Fulton Hogan’s district plan change request is available for viewing on the council’s consultation platform.A full copy of the proposal and the request for the plan change can also be inspected at council services centres and public libraries.Submissions to the proposed plan change close on Friday April 7, 2023.

Work will begin next month (April) on the much-anticipated final stages of the Clyde Heritage Precinct Upgrade.Following the upgrade of Lodge Lane last year, Holloway and Sunderland streets will now face a similar makeover.The upgrades “will create more shared downtown public spaces to build a central community hub at the ‘heart’ of Clyde, further enhancing Clyde’s safe and friendly village atmosphere”, project manager Dan Kirkman said.The upgrade to Sunderland Street will create a wide and versatile pathway on both street sides. This will mean a more pedestrian-friendly space and will enhance street-side activities such as outdoor dining and other entertainment.The upgrade to Holloway Street will include a raised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists by Lodge Lane and a continuous footpath between Lodge Lane and Naylor Street on both sides.Holloway and Sunderland streets will also have road surfaces upgraded in a style in keeping with the look and feel of Lodge Lane, and new lights, outdoor furniture and trees will be added to both streets. Work will be undertaken outside of peak visitor season to minimise disruptionAs part of the Sunderland Street upgrade, car parking will be removed between Naylor Street and Lodge Lane.To compensate for this, additional car parking will be provided by reconfiguring the car parking areas on the section of Sunderland Street south of Naylor Street.Initially, Holloway Street will be closed to traffic until completed, with a detour via Sunderland Street. While work is carried out on Sunderland Street, Holloway Street will be the detour route.The work has been scheduled in two phases – April to October 2023 and April to July 2024 – to minimise disruption during the peak visitor season.“With the recent wastewater upgrade and now this downtown upgrade, we know there has been a lot of construction going on in Clyde in recent times,” Dan said. “We appreciate the community’s patience as we complete these projects and hope that the end product will make it all worthwhile.”PHOTOS: The Central App

Three drop-in sessions over the weekend proved a popular destination for Cromwell residents anxious to see plans for the proposed Memorial Hall and Events centre.More than 300 people took the time to see what designers were proposing for the new complex. Most feedback was positive, with some undisguised impatience to see the development started.People the Central App spoke to said they liked the plans. They just wanted to know when it would finally be built. ‘When will it be built?’ was a common question from Cromwell residents“It’s been far too long, really,” Cromwell Community Board (CCB) deputy chair Bob Scott said.“It’s been nice to say to people at the drop-ins, well, we are doing something. Here It is. What do you think? Everybody says, yeah, great, love it. Now get on with it.”Central Otago District Council (CODC) property and facilities manager Garreth Robinson said he’s been getting the same impatient feedback: “The message has been, when is it getting built? When are you breaking ground?” “We’ve received positive feedback about the building, the outlook, and the materials; it’s been awesome. “It’s just a matter of getting the funding over the line; those conversations are happening now,” he said. Deputy mayor Neil Gillespie (left) and CODC property and facilities manager Garreth Robinson discuss the plansDeputy mayor and CCB member Neil Gillespie agreed the process had taken a long time, but said it’s essential to get everything as “right as you can with a community project like this”.  “It’s been important to put the hard work in at the front end of the project because you’ve got less chance of getting it wrong. You need to hear what people say and get the balance right.”The plans with any changes will go to the CCB for their consideration and sign-off in May.Garreth is hopeful construction will be underway by the end of this year, with an 18-month to two-year construction period expected.PHOTOS: The Central App

Bridge Hill resident and tree campaigner Chris Winter is unhappy with how the Central Otago District Council (CODC) managed the controversial issue of pine trees at the entrance to Alexandra. Chris believes the council wanted the trees gone, and nothing was going to prevent that.“They [the council] decided to remove the trees without consultation. We heard about it on the Central App that they were going to move in the machinery three days later, so we got it stopped,” he said. “We said you need to have some consultation with the public, and so they danced around for a while and then said ‘no, we’re gonna just go and do it’, so we got them to stop again. “Finally, they decided to do some community consultation. They ran a drop-in session, essentially glorified PR, to tell us what they would do once the trees were gone,” he said.  Some of the condemned pines of Bridge Hill. PHOTO: The Central AppFollowing this consultation, the decision was put to Vincent Community Board (VCB) members to either vote to keep the trees as they are, remove them all at once, or remove them through a staged process.The majority of the board members opted to have the trees removed through a staged process over time.Attending the VCB meeting were mayor Tim Cadogan and CEO Sanchia Jacobs. They queried whether council policy allowed for a staged removal of the trees and recommended deferring the final decision to the March council meeting to allow for time to clarify the policy issue.Read more: No staged exit for Bridge Hill pines - News - News - The Central AppWhile a supporter of a staged removal, VCB chair Tamah Alley said the recommendation to refer back to the full council for clarification was right. Vincent Community Board chair Tamah Alley “I guess as a council when you write policy, you try and cover everything, but as you often find in democracy, things crop up that you hadn’t anticipated or thought about.“Given how important the issue is to our communities and how many pine trees we’ve got in the wrong places in the district, the policy must be right,” she said. Chris Winter has a different view.“It looked like the VCB has no power; they have no ability to do anything if the council doesn’t agree,” he said.While Tamah was unhappy with the outcome, she said “at the end of the day, the council made a democratic decision”. “Now, the important thing is to ensure that the redevelopment of the reserve is done right.”Tamah is satisfied that democracy was not circumvented when the full council superseded her board’s decision.“I think the last 18 months have given both council and the VCB numerous learnings to take forward to future decisions.”

There will be an opportunity to walk through a virtual version of the proposed Cromwell Memorial Hall, Museum and Events Centre today (Friday March 10) and during the weekend.The special drop-in sessions are at McNulty House in Cromwells’ historic precinct. The rooms in the house will be themed to take people on a journey through the design process.A view from the back of the auditoriumThe designs have received input from external consultants, including structural and civil engineers, mechanical specialists, theatre specialists, and critical stakeholders. A view from the back of the raised stage in the auditorium“All aspects of the design were considered, including the size of spaces, infrastructure services, landscaping and, in consultation with the RSA, options for the memorial gardens,” a council spokesperson said.Cromwell Community Board (CCB) chair Anna Harrison was enthusiastic about the opportunity to step inside the concept design virtually.“I think the plans look really exciting. There are many aspects of this build that our community told us they wanted to see when we spoke to them and through the long-term plan process,” she said. “I’m keen to go and have a wee look and see with the virtual reality headset.”The proposed playground“We’re going to end up with something pretty amazing for our community. The drop-in sessions are a fabulous opportunity to share where we’re up to and to get people’s thoughts on the design.” Those attending the drop-ins will have a chance to chat with and ask questions of the design consultants Jasmax, as well as council staff and community board members. After the public has taken the opportunity to provide feedback, the designs will be presented back to the CCB for approval in May.The drop-in times are Friday March 10 (10am – 3pm), Saturday March 11 (10am – 3pm), and Sunday March 12 (9am – 1pm) at McNulty House in the Cromwell Heritage Precinct.The designs can also be viewed here.

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted to amend its wilding pine bylaw to exclude a staged option for removing invasive conifers from the property it owns.The trees have been deemed a nuisance as they are spreaders of seeds in the area, exacerbating the problem of wilding pines throughout Central Otago.Vincent Community Board (VCD) members had voted in favour of a staged removal of the Bridge Hill reserve pine trees over the coming years at their last meeting in January. However, the VCD’s decision was put on hold until clarification of whether a staged approach to removing the trees did not contravene the council’s wilding pine policy drafted in 2022.The matter was referred to the full council for policy clarification and consideration, effectively taking the decision out of the hands of the community board. Deputy mayor Neil Gillespie debates with mayor Tim CadoganBefore council embarked on the discussion yesterday (Wednesday March 8) to decide the trees’ fate, mayor Tim Cadogan stated he wanted councillors to remain cognisant at all times that they were discussing a district-wide issue, not just a Bridge Hill issue. “This is not about the half-mile, although it will have an effect on the half-mile one way or the other, but we are discussing policy,” he said.  Council split over staged removal of pinesThe council was split with six for and six against the amendment to the bylaw ruling out a staged approach to tree removal. Tim used his vote as chair to break the deadlock. “Under standing order 19.3, your chairperson has the casting vote. My casting vote is that there’s no staging in the wilding pines policy,” he said.The decisions of when the Bridge Hill pines will come down and what will replace them have yet to be made.PHOTOS: The Central App

Central Otago District councillors considered the organisation’s draft budget for the delivery of the draft Annual Plan 2023-24 at Wednesday’s (March 8) council meeting.The Annual Plan reflects the work programmes previously consulted on by council, but inflationary pressures have pushed the delivery costs higher than anticipated when the Long-term Plan was approved in 2021.Councillors discussed what a council spokesperson called “known unmanageable inflationary increases” driving the proposed rates rise of 10.4 per cent across the district, up from the 7.6 per cent previously predicted.The CODC spokesperson said the increase takes into account “increases in insurance renewal premiums, the revaluation of council property and waste management assets that have pushed up depreciation expenses”. Increased standards and associated compliance costs are also said to be contributing factors. Pools are cited as one example of the council’s operations where increases are having an impact, with chemical expenses doubling in some instances. Another example is in waste management, due to changes in the Emissions Trading Scheme and council providing an increased level of service from 1 July 2023 with the additional organics bin. The draft budgets will now be presented to each community board for consideration. Pending approvals, the final budgets will come back to council for approval to go out for consultation with the wider community at its March 30 meeting. 

Round Two of the 2022/23 Christchurch Airport Tarras Community Fund is open. This round has $13,000 to allocate to community groups and organisations.Christchurch Airport established the fund for the community in 2021, and it’s open to all community groups, organisations and exceptional individuals within the Tarras area. “The fund reflects the airport’s commitment to positively contributing to Tarras,” Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL) spokesperson said.CIAL owns 750 hectares of farmland in Tarras and is currently investigating the potential to site a new regional airport for Central Otago there. The airport makes $30,000 available for community projects each year regardless of whether a new airport is built near Tarras.In the last funding allocation round in October 2022, $17,000 was given to six Tarras groups: The Tarras Playgroup got new outdoor equipment ($5,000) Tarras School got money to help fund a new fibreglass coating for its pool ($5,000) Fencing materials were purchased for the Tarras Cemetery ($3,500) A new green-cutting machine for the Tarras Golf Course ($1,000)Tarras Collie Dog Club got funds to upgrade their leaking clubrooms ($1,500) Electronic timers were purchased for the Central Otago Barrel Racing Series ($1,000). Any group or individual wishing to submit a funding application for consideration can find an information pack and application form here. To download an iYou can also contact the funding committee at [email protected] for this round of funding close on March 16, 2023. 

More than 500 people flocked to Millers Flat to welcome riders back from their week of re-trekking the Central Otago trails the gold miners cut in the 1800s.There was a market day, parade, and real hoedown on Saturday night to celebrate as the Cavalcade celebrated turning 30.Celebrations were delayed last year (2022) after a Covid interruption; for 2023, it was back to business as usual.Central App joined the celebrations.  PHOTO: The Central App 

Dogs of all shapes and sizes were in Cromwell for the weekend as local dogs and owners hosted competitors from around the South Island for the Queenstown Agility Club annual competition.Dogs were put through their paces as they tried to navigate a complex set of obstacles in a flawless fashion.Is your pooch up to the task? Watch here to find out PHOTO: The Central App

The Central Otago District Council has advised that water restrictions will continue to apply for the Māniatoto, including Naseby and Omakau/Ophir.The Otago Regional Council (ORC) wants consent holders to learn about the newly implemented alert system and remain within their low river flow consent conditions. “We want catchment groups to continue their great efforts to share water efficiently,” OCR regulatory acting general manager Joanna Gilroy said.“Catchment groups who experience traditional low flows every year are already very good at this, and we praise their efforts.“We encourage all water users across the region to continue to use water efficiently.” The regulatory body is taking compliance action where appropriate to reinforce rules around water takes.The weather appears to be changing, moving away from northerly to west/southwest winds, which will likely bring more rain to Otago. Farmers are hopeful the forecast is accurate as most rely on the feed produced by autumnal rain to get stock through the winter.Follow this link to keep updated with conditions and OCR alerts.

There will be more census collectors and assistance for people who want help filling out their census forms this year. You can fill out census forms online or on paper, and there are alternative formats to support disabled people.The census is a nationwide survey that happens every five years. Every person who is in the country on the night of Tuesday March 7, 2023, will need to complete the census.People’s responses are combined to produce statistics that provide a picture of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and how it is changing. Your identity will be kept private and confidential.Iwi, community groups, local and central government, and businesses use census information to make decisions about funding and providing services that affect you, your whānau, and your community.Find more about the 2023 Census or get help with completing the census here or freephone 0800 CENSUS (0800 236 787).If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call using the NZ Relay service.

Central Otago District Council chief executive Sanchia Jacobs confirmed yesterday (Wednesday March 1) that she was heading out of local government and into a role in the private sector.She said she had enjoyed her five years with the council and is leaving an amazing team and what she describes as a “fantastic” council.She told the Central App why she chose such a busy year in the local government sector to leave.

Time is running out for members of the public to have their say on Plan Change 20 (PC20), which will clarify building rules and regulations in Central Otago’s urban historic zones.PC20 will progress through the hearings process simultaneously with Plan Change 19. Read more: ‘Big shift’ to residential intensification ahead of schedule The Central Otago District Council (CODC) has developed the proposed heritage guidelines to apply across all five historic precincts in the district located in Clyde, Cromwell, Ophir, St Bathans and Naseby.Clyde’s historic precinct sits within what will become a medium-density residential zone under proposed changes in Plan Change 19.Ophir’s historic post office. New guidelines will apply across all five Central Otago historic precinctsCODC principal policy planner Anne Rodgers said the council had developed the heritage guidelines over the past three to four years. “It’s another piece of guidance we’ve created to manage what future development might look like in the historic precincts,” she said. “They are to give people an advanced indication of what might be acceptable or what they should consider when designing new or altering existing buildings.”Submissions to the proposed guidelines must be with the CODC by 4pm this Friday (March 3). Submissions to PC20 will be considered at the same hearings as those to PC19 in late April.Review the proposed guidelines and make a submission here. PHOTOS: The Central App

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has decided - for now - against a formal adverse events declaration for Maniototo and the rest of Otago, which are subjected to dry conditions. “Hopefully, the rain over the last few days is the beginning of the end, albeit we are still in a significant soil moisture deficit,” Otago Federated Farmers president Mark Patterson said.The Rural Support Trust has advised Federated Farmers Otago that it will continue to watch the situation closely. The Otago Regional Council (OCR) has urged affected farmers to exercise caution over water use despite recent rain as the situation hovers at the critical end of the scale. All rivers monitored by OCR are currently out of the “low flow” category, with most sites higher with recent rain.“The Maniototo, West and South Otago areas such as Pomahaka, Waipahi, the Catlins, rivers such as the Manuherekia, Queenstown and the area around the top of Lake Dunstan will go back to low flows really quickly unless there is follow up rain,” ORC regulatory acting general manager Joanna Gilroy said.With the long-term forecast still pointing towards ongoing dry conditions, the OCR will send out regular updates of river flow levels posted to its website and Facebook page.Visit the new OCR environmental data portal for the latest water flow levels.

Wilsons Contracting is working on the Manuherikia river on the edge of Alexandra for the energy generator Contact Energy as part of its consent conditions with the Otago Regional Council (ORC). This work is part of Contact Energy’s consent conditions with the Otago Regional Council for the operation of the Roxburgh Dam.The confluence of Manuherikia River and Clutha River/Mata-au showing recent diggingsUnder the conditions of the consent, Contact Energy must maintain the riverbed levels of the Manuherikia River within the bounds of defined minimum and maximum levels and keep the fastest flow or deepest water along the river’s course.A Contact Energy spokesperson said the contractors would remove 73,000 cubic metres of gravel and sediment from the Manuherikia River near the Galloway Bridge and the confluence with the Clutha River/Mata-au at Alexandra.Gravel and sediment stockpiled on the bank of the Manuherikia River“The removed sediment is stockpiled and then trucked to designated disposal sites,” they said.“We expect machinery operations in this area between February and July this year.”Material removed from river beds will be processed and used in the building sector and roading infrastructure maintenance and construction.    PHOTOS: The Central App

Otago Regional Council (ORC) has approved its draft 2023/24 Annual Plan, forecasting an 18.8 per cent average increase in rates across Otago.The increase is up 6.8 per cent from the previous forecast, equating to an $84 rise in annual average rates per household. It has been attributed to inflationary pressure.Two of the three Dunstan constituency councillors have opposed the increase, and the third has acknowledged that, while they don’t like the increase, the full OCR work programme must continue.Cr Michael Laws said he and Cr Gary Kelliher opposed the 18.8 per cent rate increase “as an offence against commonsense and the financial struggles of so many in our community”.He suggested deferring some work, deferring staff recruitments, and not proceeding with the $60M plus new headquarters building for Dunedin,Cr Alexa Forbes was unhappy with the proposed increase but remained adamant the regulatory body continue its prescribed work programme as laid out in the Long Term Plan (LTP).“We’re an environmental council now more than ever. We have to keep to our work programmes.“Are the weather events we’re experiencing telling us that we cannot afford to not keep up with our work rate? In fact, in my mind, the work programme is nowhere near enough,” she said.ORC chair Gretchen Robertson said the council has agreed there is no substantive change to the council’s long-term work programme as funded by this year’s rates. “Last year, we absorbed inflationary pressures, and unfortunately, that is no longer an option, given significant rising costs similar to many other local authorities.“We understand that any rates increase is a very difficult message at this tough time for people. However, the council is also affected by inflation on wages and goods and services,” she said.“The council can communicate that the planned-for work continues and that the cost of that, with cumulative inflationary pressures now built-in, will proceed also.”From mid-March, residents can download a copy of the draft annual plan from the ORC’s website and provide feedback on the proposed programme of work and its related costs.

Wally Sanford crossed the electoral finish line ahead of six others in the Cromwell Community Board (CCB) by-election, but the low number of votes is not the ringing endorsement of the democratic process one community leader hoped for.Fewer than 30 per cent of eligible voters in the Cromwell ward placed a tick for their favoured candidate in the by-election.That wasn’t not good enough for CCB Chair Anna Harrison. While congratulating Wally on his victory, Anna is genuinely concerned about the lack of community engagement with local government. “People get out and vote at a general election when often it’s the people on the ground in the community doing the day-to-day stuff that makes a real difference to everyday lives.“But getting people engaged in that all-important everyday stuff is hard,” she said. The issue has left her struggling to find an answer, especially when there are so many critical decisions to be made as Cromwell evolves and grows over the coming years.Anna sees the younger generation as key to future engagement in the community, but making local government issues exciting and relevant to them presents a challenge.“Our young people are highly political about what they think will impact their future. Unfortunately, they don’t necessarily see things like roads and rubbish collection as those things.“We want more people to be interested in conversations that are happening in our community, in the rebuilding of the hall and in all the other vital decisions being made right now.“We’re clearly not getting the message out to as wide a demographic as we need to, but there’s no easy solution,” she said.

No one wants food to go to waste. That’s the bottom line of just-released research that explores more commercial opportunities for ‘process grade’ fruit grown in Central Otago. The goal is to help reduce fruit loss.Fruit loss is fruit grown for human consumption but does not end up sold for that purpose. Instead, it is lost on the property or in production (orchard and packhouse). Fruit loss accounts for about 6000 tonnes or 15 per cent of fruit grown in Central Otago.Processing options explored included juicing, concentrates, freeze-drying and freezing. At present, only 11 per cent of the harvested fruit is processed further.The fruit focused on were apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, and nectarines. The research identified:1) Current processing capacity and constraints in the district2) Fruit health benefits and properties and product development trends3) Demand trends locally and globally.Frozen fruit was the most common method requested for the New Zealand market, allowing a year-round supply of fruit to processors. CODC Economic Development Manager Nick Lanham said, “reducing fruit loss could provide the opportunity for growers to move up the value chain through their processing activities.”The next stage of the project begins this month (February). It will involve meeting with potential investors interested in collaborating and exploring the next steps.The research was funded by CODC, Summerfruit NZ, Lilo Desserts, the Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, and Bioresource Processing Alliance. More information can be found on the CODC website.