Public to have a say

The proposed Kerikeri Serviced Apartments Ltd development will occupy four titles (presently occupied by the Central Motel, Keri Kids Day Care Centre and three houses). The scale of the development aroused strong local opposition late last year and prompted the formation of a lobby group, Vision Kerikeri, which voiced concerns about height and the effects on the existing character of the town.

The developer objected to a council staff recommendation that the application should be notified and the Environment Court was asked to make a declaration on height issues.

While there is no height restriction in the District Plan for the Kerikeri commercial area, council staff continued to recommend public notification, based on traffic density issues.

A hearing to determine whether the resource consent application needed to be notified was set for Monday this week but at the last minute the applicant gave the council written notice of the company's intention to publicly notify the application.

As late as last month Kerikeri Serviced Apartments Ltd director Chris Hook said he expected the resource consent application for the eight level building would probably be processed on a non-notified basis.

Read More - Opens in a new window