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Environment court: David v Goliath energy
The Resource Management Act states clearly in section six of ‘purposes and principles' that matters of national importance include the protection of historic heritage and outstanding natural features and landscapes from ‘inappropriate subdivision, use and development'. Both the consent authority's commissioned Landscape Architect Ben Espie and Planner David Whitney thought so, suggesting formally that Project Hayes should be declined. Barrister John Matthews, who chaired the Hearing panel and issued a dissenting decision recommending that Hayes be turned down, thought so too. Yet the All-of-Government submissions in support of Hayes evidently held sway, for Project Hayes was given consent in November 2007, with the decision ‘owned' by Central Otago District Council.
May 18, 2008
by Save Central
in Scoop Independent News
This week Grahame Sydney and Brian Turner, among other expert witnesses, will testify as to the cultural significance of the Lammermoor landscape, traversed by the historic Old Dunstan Road, that Meridian Energy proposes as the site and route for Project Hayes wind farm.
Sydney was awarded the Order of New Zealand Merit in 2003 for Services to Art; Turner is a recent New Zealand poet laureate, celebrated for his meditations on land, stream and sky. Together they are arguably the foremost contemporary cultural icons of Otago. A Sydney masterpiece, ‘Hinterland III', which captures the flowing landscape character typified by the... [continue via Web link]
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