We’re staying, says sugar boss

Residents fear worsening traffic jams if residential development at Chelsea goes ahead.

A Chelsea Sugar Refinery chief last night declared to a sometimes terse North Shore audience worried about residential development at the factory's harbourside site that it was staying put.

"There is no intention that refining is going to cease," said John Ellis, commercial manager of Chelsea's owner, the New Zealand Sugar Company.

"We have been refining here since 1884. With a bit of luck we are going to be refining here for quite a few more years to come."

He was trying to placate a meeting of more than 100 residents concerned mainly about worsening traffic jams if development of part of the refinery's prime site in Birkenhead goes ahead.

The company has applied to the North Shore City Council for a district plan change. It would allow the addition of up to 528 residential units of up to four storeys to the heritage-protected industrial buildings already occupying a 15ha portion of the Chelsea Estate.

The sugar company has conditionally agreed to sell the other 37ha of the estate for $20 million to the Chelsea Park Trust for a community park and asserts it wants the plan change to protect the future value of the remaining land, in case it stops refining sugar there.

A condition of the sale is a satisfactory planning outcome for the company.

Material circulated by opponents of the plan change last night suggested an upgrading of the company's facility in Melbourne indicated the Birkenhead plant may close soon.

The company's planning consultant, Jim Bentley, told the meeting, run by the Birkenhead-Northcote Community Board, of an absence of traffic problems if the commercial, residential and community development of the site in line with the plan change ever proceeded - but he was drowned out by scoffing residents.

"What happens when they get to Onewa Rd?" asked one man.

Mr Bentley said the level of traffic anticipated could be accommodated, adding that if the refinery closed, a large number of truck movements in the area would cease.

"Come on, you're joking," another voice shouted out. "Seventy trucks and 1000 cars does not compute."

Ranee Duff said: "That's a major problem for me, living on Onewa Rd."

Birkenhead resident Wilton Willis said the road was already "blocked solid" for hours at a time and extra cars from large residential development would only make this worse.

The period for public submissions on the plan change ends on Friday.