It is difficult not to have sympathy for Te Mata Mushrooms, which is being prosecuted by Hawke's Bay Regional Council for allegedly discharging "offensive and objectionable odour" on six dates this year.
The Brookvale Rd company, owned by Michael Whittaker, has been the subject of regular complaints about odours. The council says while it has some sympathy for the company, neighbours "have a right to enjoy going about their normal activities in their home".
This would appear, on face value, to be a case of people moving into an area where an existing concern is, then complaining they don't like what goes on next door. We hear it from neighbours of sports grounds. If people move in next to McLean Park, they should expect rugby to be played there in winter and, hey, there may even be noise.
The same principle is applicable here. Some people may point out that this newspaper raised the issue of orchardists burning off wood with plumes of smoke drifting into the clear winter sky. The issue we had was that double standards applied, in that people living within city boundaries (sometimes less than 1km from the burnoffs) had to change perfectly good wood burners in their homes to compliant ones. It cost thousands, while orchardists burned at will.
This case is straightforward: if you move next to a mushroom farm, you will get a whiff of unpleasantness at times. It is also important to remember Te Mata Mushrooms is an important part of the Bay and a brand recognisable nationwide. We would not want Mr Whittaker to move his business elsewhere - not only for this reason but because he is one of the few businessmen in Hastings actively trying to improve our CBD.
