New Plymouth Council listens but for how long?

DEVELOPING STORY: infonews.co.nz has just recieved confirmation that the New Plymouth District Council will not be taking immidate action against Eric Brewer.

Today the council was to evict the man from his beach home but 'never did'.

Statement from NPDC Chief Executive Barbara McKerrow

New Plymouth District Council will not be taking immediate action with regard to Eric Brewer’s occupation of land at Tapuae.

However, our legal obligation remains to ensure that Mr Brewer ceases his unlawful occupation of the reserve. We are not seeking to prevent him from using the reserve, as any other member of the public is entitled to do.

Our challenge in this situation is to find a balance between responding in a measured way to a significant number of complaints we have received from the public, while at the same time being sensitive to Mr Brewer’s circumstances.

In occupying this public reserve and building his accommodation, Mr Brewer is contravening both the Reserves Act 1977 and Part 5, Public Places, of the New Plymouth District Council Bylaw 2008.

The bottom line is that no-one has the right to live on public reserve without approval.

The public complaints suggest a number of people are afraid to use this part of the beach as a result of Mr Brewer’s behaviour and this has led them to approach us, questioning his legal right to be there. It is very unfortunate that some members of the public are reluctant to use this beautiful piece of our coastline.

Barbara McKerrow, Chief Executive