Call to preserve plantings

GOING, GOING, GONE: Councillors Ann Court and Steve McNally discuss the most recent felling of shelter belt vegetation on Kerikeri Rd. Both lines of trees, growing close to power lines, were removed by Top Energy. Replanting is planned on one of the properties while the owner of the other has not yet decided what will replace the trees.

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Preserving plantings on the approach to Kerikeri will hinge on feedback from the community say councillors Ann Court and Steve McNally.

Last week they viewed two examples of vegetation removal by Top Energy on Kerikeri Rd.

Loss of trees in Kerikeri may be in line with Top Energy’s campaign to remove vegetation near power lines but is contrary to a Far North District Council move to enhance landscape values.

The council is preparing draft plan changes seeking to protect and enhance amenity values throughout the district.

A public notification process will get under way soon and the councillors hope that people will take the time to have their say and help identify the best options that can be used to beautify the region.

In Kerikeri the changes are aimed at retaining shelter belts and perimeter landscaping that reflect the heritage of the area.

Other measures will seek to ensure that roadside signs, boundary fences and landscaping are integrated in a way that heightens the special character of Kerikeri and Waipapa.

The relevant section of the plan will be called the gateway amenity chapter and refers to the Bulls Gorge to Waipapa section of State Highway 10, Kerikeri Rd and Waipapa Rd.

Highway Robbery Repairs on SH10 is a good example of a property where there has been no attempt to landscape.

Owner Simon Colbran says planting will be a waste of time because he will lose some of his road frontage on the south side of his property when the New Zealand Transport Agency carries out long-anticipated realignment at nearby Bulls Gorge.

"In any case I have just 1.5 metres of road frontage in front of my building and you can’t do much with that. What is wrong with grass?"

He says his building was there long before anything else was built: "However, I am more than willing to speak with anyone who can suggest something achievable."

Ms Court says what’s wrong with grass is that it doesn’t hide what’s happening behind: "You can have all the industry and ugly buildings in the world hidden behind shelter belts and the world drives past happy and enchanted by the scenery in front of them."

- © Fairfax NZ News