LGOIMA Request Details: LG1870

Copy of letter left at reception for collection:
25 February 2016

James Beard
P O Box 1260
Palmerston North

Dear James
RE: Your meeting with Council staff
We acknowledge your recent meeting with myself and our senior policy planner Cynthia Ward on 16 February 2016.

Prior to our meeting you had expressed some concerns with Mayor Margaret Kouvelis who suggested it would be helpful for you to speak to Council staff.

We understood your concerns are:
 The inappropriate urbanisation of rural land at Kelvin Grove/ Whakarongo
 Rural land should not be part of Palmerston North City Council because –
        PNCC have more rural land then they need
 PNCC don’t understand rural matters e. g, management and maintenance of water tables and berms (like outside your property)
 Rural land ending up being developed by ‘land-bankers’
 Land-bankers/developers are not good for PNCC/MDC as they have land ‘checker-boarded’ around the edge of the city which they may seek to re-zone for urban purposes. This  affects rates for rural landowners and the profitability of farming. 

We note you own a 36ha property on Kelvin Grove Road which is situated within the Palmerston North City Council.

You indicated to us a desire to have Cameron Bagrie  an ANZ Economist to address the issue of land-banking and the adverse effects of these practices for Councils.  We understand you heard him speak at “Rural University”, Stratford, some time ago.  You said you have spoken to him about his capacity to speak on this topic and that he advised you he would be available to speak to a ‘forum’.

Mayor Margaret Kouvelis will receive a copy of this letter which summarises your concerns.

Yours sincerely
Sandra Crosbie
Communications Officer