Junction carrot shed plans abandoned

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 526, 8 March 1994, Page 1

Junction carrot shed plans abandoned

Plans to set up a carrot sorting shed on land zoned industrial at the Ohakune Junction railyards are now history, following the decision by local grower Alf Alabaster to site the shed elsewhere. The plans would have seen a shed built near the existing Railways workshops, to house a carrot sorting and packing operation. The carrots were to be high quality produce, shipped out in refrigerated containers and, after processing in Auckland, bound for Japan. But Railway Row residents were concerned about the plans, principally about potential noise hazard and truck movements through their residential area. Mr Alabaster told the Bulletin the operation is going ahead but that he has decided not to use the Junction site for the shed. He said despite being legally entitled to proceed, with the possible changes to the rules governing development in the area (under the district plan review) the future of the operation at the site was not clear. "The trouble is there are no clearly defined rules as regards to the land," said Mr Alabaster. He said security was also a concern. But he believes the concerns of the residents don't hold water. "We' re still going to load carrots — it's a railway station with no restrictions on access. With our shed there we were willing to compromise with the residents. I was keen to be a good neighbour." Mr Alabaster said he had agreed to limit the operation at the shed to eight hours a dav. He had given the council an undertaking to restrict the noise and heavy traffic at the shed. He said he could understand the concerns of the residents about noise and truck movements, but

that he did not agree with them. "It' s not a case of having an industrial zone in a residential area, it's a case of having put a residential area next to an industrial zone." He said the people who bought Railway Row properties should have realised that the fact the subdivision (which was approved in 1991) was sited next to railway yards was reflected in the low prices. "A lot of blame haa been unfairly put on the Council - but they (the residents) bought property next to a railway station. "But I was willing to accommodate their concerns." Access to the railway yards for the whole W aimarino district was now an important issue that needed to be taken up by Railways and the Ruapehu District Council, said Mr Alabaster. Railway Row resident Brian Joslin said he was quite pleased with Mr Alabaster' s decision. He said he was still concerned about his plans to load containers at the yards, but that it would still be easier to put up with than the shed operation. "It's not ideal but it is part of living next to a railway station. I can't see it as being as bad as having five or six truckloads of carrots arriving each day and a forklift operating all day," he said. The resident' s group would keep an eye on the issue, and were still liaising with the Council over truck movements in the street. Mr Joslin said the group is not happy with a number of aspects of the subdivision, such as the zoning, the width of the road, vehicle movements, and promised landscaping which has not been done. Turn to Page 3