The council is ignoring its own rules

A map showing Mangonui's existing heritage area (shaded purple) and the proposed expansion, within the purple lines. Image / FNDC

I wish to raise concerns regarding proposals in the Far North District Council's district plan to significantly expand the Mangonui Heritage Precinct. The expansion is huge, and encompasses large numbers of freehold title residential homes. The current zone is limited to the commercial area along the waterfront.

My concern: despite being very significant, this has been undertaken without consulting directly and personally with all affected ratepayers and obtaining community support. This has led to affected persons being unaware of the proposed changes and missing making a submission.

Operative plan Part 3 District Wide Provisions Rules 12.5.4.14 states: 'That Council will ensure that, before seeking to include within the plan any heritage resource that occurs on private land, consultation WILL (my emphasis) be undertaken with the landowners affected.' This seems quite clear. It calls for direct and personal and specific contact, not broad-based general advertising.

Also, in 12.5.4.12, it states: 'under s 187 of the Act that landowners be assisted financially where heritage resources are protected.'

The effects on permitted activities within the expanded Heritage Precinct are so far reaching I believe it is totally unacceptable to proceed with this proposal until all affected ratepayers have been personally informed and asked for input. In a Heritage Precinct virtually nothing can be done without a resource consent. There are onerous restrictions on repairs and renovations to existing buildings and the design and construction of new buildings.

A proposal that has such far reaching effects should not be undertaken arbitrarily, but only after full communication and gaining broad-based community support.

I believe that this proposal should be put on hold until the council has fulfilled its statutory obligation to undertake consultation with each and every affected ratepayer and their input carefully considered.

Danny Simms

Mangonui