Independent Commissioners for Mahanga Consents Hearing

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is appointing two independent commissioners to a Hearing Panel to hear resource consent applications lodged by Williams, Mexted and Malherbe for a proposed development at Mahanga (north of Wairoa).

This will be a joint hearing with Wairoa District Council which will appoint their own representative onto the Hearing Panel.

Both Councils have received 221 submissions on the applications and the hearing is set to begin on Wednesday 26 August in Wairoa. The Councils have been advised that not all the submitters will wish to be heard, but the duration of the hearing is yet to be established.

The Regional Council are appointing Independent Commissioners Mr Rauru Kirikiri and Mr Hugh Hamilton to the Hearing Panel. Mr Kirikiri has a management consultancy specialising in Maori issues and is an accredited commissioner, and Mr Hamilton is a lawyer experienced in local government and resource consent hearings.

While the applicant requested independent commissioners, there is no requirement for Council to agree with this request, however the day set for the hearing to begin is a Regional Council meeting day which makes it difficult for Councillors to be available.

The six applications lodged with the Regional Council are for the construction of a coastal protection structure, earthworks within Coastal Hazard Zone 1, construction of buildings and wastewater systems within Coastal Hazard Zone 2, diversion of a stream, works within the bed of a stream, and the discharge of wastewater. Wairoa District Council needs to consider consents for subdivision, earthworks and occupation of the site.