Plans dissallowed to save Mt View

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 5, 19 August 1988, Page 16

Plans dissallowed to save Mt View

Views of Mount Ruapehu were the deciding factor in a recent Town Planning Committee decision to turn down an application to resite a house to a Miro Street address.

The decision, which is yet to be passed by full council, will mean Hurlstone Earthmoving Limited cannot relocate a house from their Old Station Road property to 47 Miro Street, Ohakune. Prior to the application the house was moved from an Awara Street, Ohakune address. Hurlestone needed planning committee approval because they wished to relocate an existing house, because the height of the building would exceed the five metre limit in a residential zone, and because the maximum permitted density would

be exceeded by one person. The application drew one objection, from Messers Reid, Mouton, Calder, and Stewart, who own a house at 43 Miro Street. They objected because they did not know if the house would fit in with the general style of the area and, more importantly, because their view of Ruapehu would be obstructed. Mr Bruce Stewart told the committee the people who shared ownership of the house had deliberately built it to maximize their enjoyment of the view. He said all the owners were skiers and

lovers of Mr Ruapehu, and that they felt very strongly about the view. After hearing a description of the building Mr Stewart said his group would accept the committees decision regarding the design of the building, as they were familiar with it.

The committee discussed at length possible solutions to the problem, taking into account the objectors' concerns and finally decided it was up to the applicant to come up with a satisfactory alternative to the application received. A successful application could be one that

saw the building being resited or the roof line of the building altered. During the discussion Councillor Sue was emphatic that the Ohakune height restriction was put in place to protect other people's mountain views and that it was up to the applicant to formulate a proposal that satisfied the

neighbours. Other councillors said they felt t h e application should be approved if a way round the height problem could be found. The town planner said in his report that because of the roof line the height limit would only be exceed for a length of 2.5 metres.