Bird-brained or clever marketing? Would you live in new Christchurch subdivision's Squawk St?

By Georgia O’Connor Harding

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24 Apr, 2018 09:37 PM2 mins to read

A new subdivision in the Christchurch suburb of Rolleston featuring bird-themed streets caused debate at a district council meeting.

A new subdivision featuring bird-themed street names has taken flight in Rolleston.

Squawk St, Feather Place, Claw Place and Pallid Green are some of the quirky bird names to feature at the Falcon's Landing subdivision, off Lincoln-Rolleston Rd.

The subdivision's 35 new road and four private right-of-way names were presented to the district council for the final rubber-stamp last week.

But the names were not approved without ruffling a few feathers around the district council table.

District councillor Jeff Bland said: "Do we really want a Squawk St?''

Mayor Sam Broughton said the names came down to personal preference with the developers and the "wriggle room" the district council thinks it might have, doesn't often exist.

He said the alternative "Migratory" and "Territory" names weren't much better.

The district council's asset manager Murray Washington said he has a
"good laugh" sometimes when he sees names come through.

He said the names can be sent back to the developers for further consideration.

Broughton told Bland if he wanted Squawk St changed he needed to give a reason.

Bland retorted: "If they can't do better than that, I am surprised they have managed to subdivide that large area of land. Let's not let themselves down at the last post."

Councillor Murray Lemon said unless the names confused emergency services or was offensive, he didn't have a problem.