Our fight is your fight, council told

DUMP SITE: Featherston couple Marion and David Pawson and the bank of abandoned cars and dumped rubbish they inherited when they bought the property next to the Tararua Forest Park. PHOTO/HAYLEY GASTMEIER

A Featherston couple say the fly tipping occurring on their property is not just their problem but also that of the South Wairarapa District Council.

Marion and David Pawson addressed councillors at a council meeting on Wednesday, asking for a commitment to ensure their land was no longer used as an unofficial tip.

The Pawsons also requested that the council recognise fly tipping was a significant problem in the district and help them find a solution that would not just "shift the problem" elsewhere.

The couple had bought the Bucks Rd property, next to the Tararua Forest Park, not knowing about the dozen old stolen car bodies and dumped rubbish that sprawled over a bankside.

"We were really pleased we found we could buy the last piece of land on the Tauherenikau River," said Ms Pawson, of an area with which she and her husband had strong connections.

The couple told councillors the problem occurred all along the gravel road bordering the river, and the rubbish was on both private land and council road reserve.

They said that, because of the steepness of the terrain, rubbish dumped on the road reserve rolled down into their property, which was littered with old beds, sofas, fridges and televisions.

Garden waste and hunting offal and carcasses were also an issue, with two carcasses and the dumping of offal on the edge of the road occurring within the past three weeks.

"We believe this is a council issue and by resolving this issue could meet the long-term plan goals," said Ms Pawson.

The couple suggested the council looked at supporting a "community development recycling project [that] would further develop Featherston's identity and resolve the long-standing fly tipping practice that affects the district".

In hope of minimising future dumping on their property, the Pawsons had planted a natural flax barrier along the roadside to deter people from throwing things off the edge.

Councillor Colin Olds from the Featherston ward said he had driven along Bucks Rd recently and was impressed with the Pawsons' efforts.

"I have seen what you have done with the flax, well done with that." The Pawsons had also been investigating the removal of the cars by the army as a training exercise.

"With a part of the land, we know there's a steep drop and getting the cars out is impossible, except with the engineering division of the army," said Ms Pawson.

Planning and environment manager Murray Buchanan said fly tipping was a difficult problem to combat.

"From a regulatory perspective, to prosecute, it's very difficult unless you see them."

Councillor Solitaire Robertson recommended Bucks Rd be added to the community patrol "hotspots", which would aid the council in identifying a suitable solution.

Police identify problem areas, which are then closely watched by the community patrol and observations are included in a police weekly report.

Mayor Adrienne Staples said the council would contact police in regards to having Bucks Rd added to the watch list.