A community’s fight against a multi-millionaire couple’s plans to build a helicopter pad at their Westmere property has reached a public hearing.
A five-day hearing on Anna Mowbray of Zuru Toys and the job platform Zeil, and former All Black Ali Williams’ controversial resource consent application began on Monday at Auckland Town Hall.
During the hearing, a panel of independent commissioners will hear expert evidence and submissions from those opposing and supporting the application.
The applicant, represented by their legal counsel, would be making their case on Monday. The property was on Rawene Ave.
According to Auckland Council, out of 1397 written submissions made on the application, a majority — 1227, or 87% — opposed the helipad. One hundred and eight were supportive, and 12 were neutral.
Some of those submitters, such as the group Quiet Sky Waitematā, were expected to present at the hearing in the coming days.
About 20 members of the public were in the public gallery for the first day of the hearing.
Opposition ‘confused, overstated, misleading’ says applicants’ lawyer
The lawyer representing the couple, Chris Simmons, told the hearing panel on Monday that many opposers did not know what they were talking about.
“When it comes to submitter evidence, at times, it is my suspicion that [it] may be confused, overstated, misleading, and or potentially irrelevant to the task before you.”
He said the couple had made concessions to reduce adverse impacts on neighbours and wildlife.
“While hearing evidence, I encourage the panel to bear in mind what this application is for. This application is for helicopter take-off and landings of not more than two flights per day, up to 10 flights per month, and within a very narrow window when those flights can occur.”
As well as Simmons, six other experts were presenting at the hearing as part of Mowbray and Williams’ case, covering issues surrounding planning, coastal birds and ecology, noise, recreation, civil aviation and operational requirements, and arboriculture.
Ecology consultant Graham Lloyd Don argued that any effects of a helicopter landing on coastal birds would be limited. The property neighbours Coxs Bay.
To avoid adverse effects, he recommended that take-offs and landings only occur during a four-hour window, two hours on either side of low tide.
He said flight paths should also be in a north-northeast direction from the helipad to avoid flying over Meola Reef Reserve.
He noted the applicant had agreed to these terms.
Statements from Rawene Ave residents in support of the application were also read out, including from rich-lister Steve Owen, who said he recently purchased a home on the street.
Neighbour: ‘They addressed our concerns’
“This is not a case of an external consultant pushing through the wants of an absentee owner. Anna and Ali have consulted directly, on a one-to-one basis, with their neighbours, including me. They have listened to questions and modified their proposal to address concerns raised.
“This proposal has been four years in the making, during which time Anna and Ali have taken their time to engage independent specialist advisors (at a huge cost, I imagine) to address all the issues and non-issues that might be of concern to some in our community.
“I would also like to add that I am personally disappointed with the media’s presentation of this application over the last few years, and it feels like a case of tall poppy syndrome. I believe we should not conduct granting of activities allowable under the RMA this way, as it seems to have been a ‘trial by media’.”
“I believe we should strive for excellence, and to live in a world-class city. The investment Anna and Ali have put into their property and the wider area should be applauded, it is a huge positive for all of us that indirectly benefit from what they have done over the last four years.”
He added that the proposal was “far less intrusive” than “neighbours moving their lawns for extended periods every weekend or the numerous jets skis that use the upper harbour without restriction”.
The panel was expected to hear from submitters opposing the application and from council officers in the coming days.
By Jessica Hopkins of rnz.co.nz
