Kiwifruit appeal
An Environment Court appeal by an Ōhaupō lifestyler over a decision to allow a kiwifruit grower to add vertical black screens and planting next door to his Parallel Road property could be dropped following legal discussions between the two parties. Mediation last year did not result in a resolution, but subsequent discussions between the appellant and the consent holder has resulted in a draft put to both of them which if signed would amend the consent and drop the appeal.
Jan wins new skill
Jan Soanes who received the New Skill award for her entry Safe as Houses (the new skill being intarsia knitting) at the Cambridge Creative Fibre annual exhibition and craft fair in the Cambridge Town Hall.
Members of Cambridge Creative Fibre are showcasing their skills in their annual exhibition in the Cambridge Town Hall this week. The show opened on Tuesday and wraps up on Sunday. Fibre arts disciplines from handspun yarn to delicate lace knitting from snuggly knitwear to intricate weaves are on display. Jan Soanes took out the New Skill award for her entry Safe as Houses.
Road fatality
A Waipa man died following a crash involving a motorcycle on Flat Road, Kihikihi on Saturday evening.
Pools winner
Cambridge’s Perry Aquatic Centre, Puna Kaukau o Te Oko Horoi, has won a top public architecture design award.
Cambridge’s Perry Aquatic Centre picked up a design award at last week’s New Zealand Institute of Architects Waikato and Bay of Plenty Awards.
Consents down
Resource consent applications are down four for the quarter ended March 31 compared to the previous three months, Waipā’s Strategic Planning and Policy committee heard this week. The 77 consents comprised 43 for land use and 34 for subdivisions. Meanwhile 276 Land Information Memorandums (Lims) – up from 247 – were also processed.
Consultation closes
Consultation on Waikato District Council’s draft Enhanced Annual Plan closed on Friday, with 224 submissions received. The council is proposing a rate revenue increase of 13.75 per cent.
Parking pings
Motorists continue to rack up parking fines in Cambridge and Te Awamutu with 437 infringements issued from January 1 to March 31. Most were for overstaying in time limited parking in the two towns.
Building proceeds
Four significant projects feature among building consents totalling $46 million for the quarter ended March 31, down from $77.9 million in the same time frame last year. Roading for the Cambridge Summerset retirement village, a new church and community centre in Te Awamutu, remedial works for Woolworths, Te Awamutu and a new technology teaching block at Cambridge Middle School are among the 170 new building consents.
Dairy Awards
Waipā is well represented at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards to be announced this weekend. Among the finalists are Logan and Sian Dawson (Ōhaupō) in the share farmers category and Kirwyn Ellis (Pirongia) in the dairy trainee section.
Arvida in
Retirement health provider Arvida has taken over the development of elderly accommodation in Waipā’s 41ha western Te Awamutu T2 residential zone. The publicly listed company has 35 communities throughout New Zealand including Lauriston Park in Leamington.
Coles’ new role
Philip Coles
Cambridge ward councillor Philip Coles announced to the council’s Strategic Planning and Policy committee this week that he had joined the board of Global Cities New Zealand (formerly Sister Cities New Zealand) as a director. He was one of four nominees for four positions. The group’s aim is to connect people globally for peace and prosperity. Waipā has long-standing sister city relationshups with Bihoro in Japan – formed in 1997 – and Le Quesnoy in France, started in 1999.
