A Kāinga Ora development in central Blenheim has been given the green light — provided an “acoustic fence” is built to appease neighbours.
Five older single-storey state homes along Arthur St will be removed or demolished, and 10 two-storey homes will be built in their place, some duplex and with shared driveways.
The Government agency filed two resource consent applications for the properties, which an independent commissioner for the Marlborough District Council decided to consider at the same time.
Commissioner Craig Welsh said, in a decision issued last week on one of the applications, that it did not comply with rules for site area, building height and recession planes, or setback from boundaries.
As a result, the consent had been notified to some neighbours, some of whom opposed the application because of increased noise, loss of sun and privacy, and parking congestion.
One neighbour said she worked from home and their house only had single glazing. She was concerned about the noise from construction and the ongoing noise from extra residences in the area, the decision said.
Another neighbour said the development would have “noise issues that no fence could prevent”.
That neighbour also questioned the building design, saying it would increase shade which would have a “detrimental impact” on the wellbeing of his children.
Another neighbour said their biggest problem was a proposed driveway right next to the bedrooms in his house. His flatmate worked late shifts and slept during the day, the decision said.
A reporting officer for the council told Welsh the designs complied with parking and manoeuvre specifications in the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan.
In response to concerns about more cars parking on the street, Welsh said he was not required to consider those effects.
The decision said Welsh carefully considered the adverse effects on residential amenity.
A qualified noise expert provided by Kāinga Ora said a 2m high “acoustic fence” would mitigate noise, particularly from cars using the driveway. The council’s reporting officer agreed.
Welsh said there were “small-scale” shading effects beyond what was permitted but it did not weigh heavily against the consent.
He also said — on hearing the evidence — that any privacy, noise and shade issues were addressed by the proposed building design, landscaping, and by conditions of consent.
Welsh also thought the site was suitable for the density that was proposed.
He, therefore, granted the consent, although some conditions were imposed — one of which was to install the acoustic fence that could be reduced to 1m on the street front to help vehicle visibility.
Local Democracy Reporting is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
