'How safe are we going to be?'

He Korowai Trust chief executive Ricky Houghton still has work to do to mollify at least some of the neighbours of the trusts's residential development in Kaitaia.

One couple last week described Mr Houghton's explanation of what was to be done and how as sounding great on paper, but as soon as the houses went on to the sites "that'll be the end of it". They were already aware that some people were reconsidering buying a home nearby because of the development.

They had paid $370,000 for their home, while those buying the relocated houses would pay only $130,000, and their investment would depreciate because of that.

They were aware of cars being tampered with (in the street and at a nearby motel), while three men had entered a neighbour's home, taking cigarettes before being chased out.

"There's only a fence between us and the houses. It's not necessarily the houses, it's the people going into them," they said.

"Our question is, how safe are we and our property going to be? How is it going to devalue our place, that we want to live in for the rest of our lives?"

They saw Mr Houghton's promise that the families buying into the development would be drug-, alcohol- and violence-free as "a bit of a joke" and wondered how it would be policed.

"And where is the council in all this?" they asked.

"How can they suddenly do this when Tom Butcher (who developed the Kohuhu/Taupata Street subdivision) had to jump through all sorts of hoops?

"If it's going to be Maori land, what does that mean in terms of rates? What will they contribute in the way of rates. And if rates are paid, who will pay them, them or the trust?

"While Mr Houghton sits there on his little throne making up all these ideas, is he going to take responsibility for all these families and children? It will be chaos in no time. There should have been consultation before they started - face to face. This is virtually a take it or leave it attitude.

"On the surface of it, it sounds fine. If it runs true to form it'll turn out like a lot of other places in town.

"Let's hope that it's everything they say it will be. Let's hope Mr Houghton delivers and we're not just going to have endless problems."

One thing they did agree with was that a public meeting could be very useful.

Another nearby resident was equally unimpressed.

"Everything they've done, they've done wrong," he said.

"I've spoken to the mayor; he said there's nothing they can do about it. The thing that really annoys us is that we've had no consultation whatsoever.

"I'm all for what they're trying to do, but not in our area. The value of the houses around here is dropping - why is that?"

The main concern was that the development would provide a through road to Grigg Street.

"Would they do this in Auckland? In the middle of Remuera? And when Auckland has a shortage of houses they're bringing them up here?" he added.

"We already have people walking through our property now. Imagine when there's another 18 houses at the end of the road. And how are they going [to control] drugs, alcohol and violence? Have Maori wardens wandering around?

"I can see the hassle coming. He [Ricky] should be contacting us - we're the neighbours."