Whangarei District Council has made an almost $45,000 reduction in fees it charged for processing a draft change that Whangarei Racing Club wanted made to the district plan.
When applying for the controversial plan change that would re-zone 56ha of the club's land at Raukaka for residential lifestyle development, then club president John Fairley and WDC chief executive Mark Simpson signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in which the council undertook responsibility for the change. That was in 2012.
Because the plan change was for the commercial benefit of a club and not directly the public, the council later redesignated it a privately sought change and the club became responsible for most of the associated costs.
The club accepted at that point it would end up paying more than the $30,000 the WDC had originally indicated the cost would be, but the council's exemptions and objections committee heard the club's request for a reduction in some fees charged.
The committee has released its decision to slash $44,663 from a $122,942 bill to the club for initial work done that the council now accepts should have been part of its own "Master District Plan" costs.
