Cambridge resident Ruth Hickey has filed an appeal with the Environment Court following Waipā District Council’s decision to allow a six-unit compact housing development in Kelly Road.
Hickey, who lives next door to the proposed development and is the beneficiary of the estate that owns her house, has been granted a waiver of the $600 filing fee.
The lawyer who acts for the estate is not appealing because of the estimated $25,000 legal fees.
Townhouse development in Kelly Road
Consent was issued on April 5 and is one of two in Cambridge testing the council’s land use provisions.
The other is at 153 Taylor Street, where the application was granted on April 23.
The hearing to consider the application by Zane Beckett and Joshua Te Weehi of Kelly Road Investments for six two storey units at 3 Kelly Road was held in March and considered by three commissioners – Waipā councillors Clare St Pierre, Liz Stolwyk and Marcus Gower, who chaired the hearing.
Hickey and a lawyer acting for the estate opposed the application.
Beckett, who was involved in developing a nearby medical and retail centre, told the hearing smaller three-bedroom units were becoming common in Cambridge because many athletes who lived in the town for their sports did not want the maintenance of large sections.
There was a shortage of low maintenance rentals for professionals, he said.
Kelly Road housing development
Councillors visited the site and according to Hickey parked on the berm because there was no roadside parking available.
“The hearing panel reasons in granting consent is that one single garage for onsite parking will provide sufficient supply to avoid adverse effects to Kelly Road and the surrounding road network,” said Hickey.
She argued the commissioners ignored the extra 50 vehicle movements a day from the completed site and the impact it would have on the neighbourhood.
“I feel one ratepaying property and two local voters don’t matter when big money developers want to build.”
Gower also chaired the limited notification Taylor Street application for seven two-storey units with a panel of St Pierre and fellow councillor Lou Brown.
Two neighbours opposed the application.
Developer John Kenel of Assured Property Investments recently told media Cambridge needed to get ready for infill housing which is quite common in Hamilton.
Townhouses would become a part of Cambridge’s landscape too, he said.
- Changes were made to the online version of this article, including changing landowner to occupier and clarifying the lawyer was acting for the estate of 5 Kelly Road.
The proposed townhouse development in Taylor Street, Cambridge.
