RAIL HOUSE DELAY

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 236, 22 March 1988, Page 1

RAIL HOUSE DELAY

New Zealand Railways is yet to make a decision on whether to go ahead with the proposed Ruapehu Road/Dreadnought Road railway house development. The scheme, which involves the relocation and refurbishment of old railway houses in clusters on railway owned land, was given town planning approval in January. Planning consultant KRTA spokesman Malcolm Smith said Railways were currently negotiating with the Housing Corporation to sell most if not all their houses. If these negotiations were to prove successful the Ohakune development might not proceed, he said. Mr Smith said KRTA and Railways were also still investigating the implications of the conditions laid down with the planning approval. In answer to Mayor Bill Taylor' s earlier comments that the conditions were those put forward by the developers Mr Smith said the conditions imposed were more specific than those set out in the town planner's report. "The planner's report referred to upgrading of existing roading," said Mr Smith. "Council conditions are quite specific and refer to the widening of Dreadnought Road, enclosing the drain on Dreadnought Road and to laying a footpath on Ruapehu Road to Shannon Street," he said. Mr Smith said his company were the planning consultants for the project and not the developers. He said it is solely Railways' decision whether to proceed, but if they do KRTA will be involved in the work.