Residents fight Stevenson's "legacy"

BIG PLANS: The latest concept plan showing the extent of Stevenson’s Drury South business project.

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The title of a community meeting in Drury next Wednesday says it all: "Stop Stevenson".

The title refers to the proposed 363-hectare industrial development based around Stevenson's Drury quarry.

Organisers say the 7pm meeting at the Drury School hall will give locals a chance to look at information they've gathered under the Official Information Act and show people "how the community working together can stop this project".

The proposed Drury South development has upset residents who are concerned about roading changes and the impact on their properties, traffic noise, safety and environment.

Stevenson released concept plans for the development late last year. The plans were updated on www.drurysouth.net on March 1.

On the same day the company posted news that Australian-born Mark Franklin was taking over from John Rae as Stevenson's chief executive. Mr Rae is the new chief executive of the Drury South project.

Stevenson stakeholder relations manager Alison Hunter says Mr Rae's new role reflects the significance of the project which is centred around the longterm protection of the quarry.

Ms Hunter says the revised concept plan is probably the one that will form the basis of any district plan change applications to Papakura and Franklin district councils.

"Unless something unexpected comes out of the finalisation of the technical report it is unlikely to change before lodgement. However further changes may come about through the Resource Management Act process. Anyone is welcome to contact us through the 0800-000-583 number with questions."

The next chance for public feedback is through the resource consent process when the plan changes will be publicly notified by the councils.

Papakura District Council chief executive Theresa Stratton confirmed the project is one of the "legacy" projects the council hopes to have in place before the Auckland Council takes effect later this year.

But she says it differs from all the other legacy projects.

"The Drury South business park is a private initiative by the Stevenson Group which is supported at a strategic level by the council," she says.

"The idea of a `construction cluster' in the Drury area was identified in the council's 2007 economic development strategy as an important initiative that would provide economic benefits to the district."

The council has been providing comments and advice to the company and their consultants about technical studies, investigations and the resource consent processes needed to advance the project.

People who want to make a submission on the project should send them to Stevenson, she says.

See www.drurysouth.net or www.stevenson.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News