The consenting consultant for Hastings District Council assessing the application for a film studio to be built at Te Awanga has declined to make a recommendation ahead of a hearing on Monday that will decide the studio’s fate.
The proposed $60 million film studio projects bringing in between US$4 million and $5m (NZ$6.3m-$8m) a week in spending. Approximately 70 staff would occupy the site permanently. During the filming of a production there could be over 350 additional people (actors and support crew) on site.
The applicants (as No. 8 Studios) are film industry entrepreneurs Tony Keddy and his brother-in-law Havelock North-based Derek Slade. They hope to bolster New Zealand’s international movie production capacity with the construction of totally new production facilities called Parkhill Studios, in Te Awanga.
A group of residents close to the proposed site threatened a legal injunction unless consultation was widened to include them. No. 8 studios agreed in the interests of everyone having their say. Independent hearings commissioner Kitt Littlejohn was appointed to make the decision on the consent following submissions and a hearing.
In a report to the hearing commissioner, consultant planner of behalf of HDC Janeen Kydd-Smith said that while the proposal was in the main consistent with the relevant objectives of the District Plan, there were potential clashes with others. She concluded: “I reserve making a recommendation on whether I consider consent should be granted or declined until I have heard evidence that the Applicant may present at the hearing in relation to the unresolved matters.
Much of the concern expressed relates to traffic safety and noise.
For example, the design and configuring of the Parkhill Road/East Road intersection is in question. Currently there is a blind corner when turning into Parkhill Road.
Kydd-Smith said there was potential for head-on crashes causing serious harm with heavy vehicles associated with the studio queuing and turning right at the Parkhill Road/East Road intersection. “I am uncertain of the scale of potential adverse effects without first hearing from the Applicant how they propose to improve the design of the intersection to mitigate those effects,” she said.
Kydd-Smith said there also was potential for “more than minor adverse effects on the character and amenity value” of the Parkhill Road area and its occupants from the noise of traffic associated with the studios. Daily traffic on Parkhill Road could increase from approximately 187 vehicles per day to over 600. The proposed use of acoustic barriers to reduce traffic noise could also have more than minor impacts on the visual amenity value of the Parkhill Road areas, she noted.
Nonetheless, Kydd-Smith concluded that with imposition of recommended consent conditions, “I consider that adverse traffic effects of the proposed development on Parkhill Road and the Parkhill Road/Raymond Road intersection can be appropriately mitigated.”
Effectively Kydd-Smith has put Number 8 Studios on notice that they need to bring forward further evidence or proposals regarding mitigating certain effects, and agree to consent conditions already recommended by experts consulted, to secure her support.
If the consent is approved, Parkhill Studios will be situated in a valley above the Clifton Cricket Club on 2.2 ha of land adjoining the Maraetotara River and near lakes on the Nillson family farm behind Te Awanga which has been leased for 35 years.
The facilities include two parallel 60 x 40 metre architecturally designed structures with state of the art 20cm thick soundproof panelling produced at the Bondor factory in Palmerston North.
That hearing will take place on 10 October at the Civic Administration Building on Lyndon Road East, at 9am.
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any update on this?
Hearing is still in process. Should end this week. Then final recommendation from Council consultant to Commissioner, who then has 15 working days to issue decision.