Cool stores hearing wraps up

If the development of New Plymouth’s former cool stores does not go ahead, the site risks remaining ‘‘derelict’’ and a ‘‘blot on the city’s landscape’’, an independent commissioner has warned.

Yesterday was the fourth day of a hearing at the New Plymouth District Council for Seaport Land Company (SLC), which is hoping to transform the former Fonterra building into a bustling precinct of shops, offices and apartments.

A previous attempt was rejected two years ago, and now SLC – made up of Russell Nagel,

Ben Hawke and David Hawke – is asking to change the industrial area in the Proposed District Plan and alter the Port Inner Noise Control Boundary to pave the way for the development.

Port Taranaki, the main objector, says the scheme would harm its activities.

At yesterday’s hearing, Port Taranaki’s lawyer, Morgan Slyfield, argued SLC’S submissions were vague, lacked specificity and were more of an aspirational statement.

But commissioner Stephen Daysh said he was in a dilemma.

‘‘The troubling thing for me is the prospect of this very old, derelict building sitting there when there seems to be an opportunity to move forward,’’ he told Slyfield.

Daysh also said Port Taranaki made the decision not to acquire the site for port activity when it was on the market, but instead acquired other land.

To this, Ross Dingle, head of commercial at Port Taranaki, said at the time the port considered the area problematic due to the Taranaki Petroleum 5 (TPC-5) well located under one of the buildings and accessibility issues for trucks.

In his statement to commissioners, Slyfield argued the fairness of SLC’S proposal.

Slyfield said the company’s first attempt at resource consent was publicly notified and people could make submissions for or against.

As that had not been done this time, he argued there were neighbours and business owners with vested interests who had not had the opportunity to be heard.

Slyfield and Dingle also argued against evidence in the first week of the hearing where economist Dylan James gave a ‘‘dismal projection’’ for activity at Port Taranaki.

Slyfield pleaded with the commissioners not to take that pessimism on board.

Dingle, who described the port area as ‘‘bursting at the seams’’, also looked towards the port’s future and the potential development of an offshore wind energy sector near the wharves.

While Dingle gave credit to the developers for their vision for the site, he said Port Taranaki maintained its view that the inclusion of residential property that close to the port would hinder its operations.

Commissioners also heard from Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa and Ngāti Te Whiti as the site sits on taka Pā and the development could see hapū reunited with it.

Julie Healey, Ngāti Te Whiti chairperson, said the SLC proposal was an opportunity for them to re-establish themselves on that whenua (ground).

Healey also said hapu would like the chance for co-design, to have a part in telling Taranaki’s stories.

Commissioner Daysh will visit the Port and Seaport Land Company site this week before deliberating with commissioner David Mcmahon.

Daysh said he intended to see if they could resolve the issue with a good outcome for everyone involved.

‘‘It’s going to be quite a taxing decision for us,’’ Daysh said.