City planners for Waimarino

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 233, 1 March 1988, Page 7

City planners for Waimarino

Wanganui City Council planners will do the Waimarino District's town planning in future. It was a toss-up between the city council and the consulting firm Payne Sewell Ltd. The district council steering committee last week opted for the city council after receiving a report on the city planners versus Payne Sewell planners. District Manager John Murrihy told the meeting there were pros and cons in both cases. His report discounted a third option in the form o f Bycroft Petherick Ltd because the firm had no quali-

fied planners on its staff. Discussing Payne Sewell, whose planner Jane Douglas-Lane had done a lot of g o o d work in the Waimarino district, Mr Murrihy said the firm estimated the new District Scheme for the Waimarino would cost about $18,500. Generally most people were satisfied with the firm's services though at times they were seen as "a bit too conservative". The city council was keen to provide the planning service on a consulting basis. It had a number o f experienced and qualified urban and rural planners led by Mr Ted Fox who liked the Waimarino. The council estimated the Dis trict Scheme would cost around $20,000. People had nothing but favourable things to say about the planning service. He discussed the advantages and disadvantages of both, and concluded that Wanganui's service would be preferable even though it could be tying the district's future to Wanganui. Ohakune Mayor Bill Taylor said it was imperative that a measure

of continuity be maintained in the planning area, particularly in the case of Ohakune where there were special needs. County councillor Gavin Jones said he could speak the same way of Payne Sewell as their planner, Jane Douglas-Lane, had guided the county through some difficult matters such as the Whanganui National Park affair. She was highly qualified and quite innovative. He was concerned that the flavour of Wanganui was a little more urban than rural, though he did not want

to make too much of it. There was much discussion on whether Wanganui had much rural planning experience. The meeting was told the city council did Rangitikei County's planning. The county council members spoke against the recommendation, which drew a comment from Chairman Garrick Workman, Mayor of Raetihi, that the meeting had struck a stalemate. Cr Taylor: "You're going to get that all the way through." Speaking to Cr Taylor's motion that the recommendation be ap-

proved, Cr Doug Bennett (county) said Mr Murrihy had not put in his report the comparative cost of hiring a planner. Mr Murrihy said he covered that point in a previous report to ( a closed meeting of) the steering committee dated December 7 , 1987. Basically, it was a marginal decision cost wise, though in the year of the District Scheme the council would definitely make a big saving. The motion was carried with three votes against it from Crs Con Heinold, Gavin Jones and John Compton.