The Don’s Diary
Monday 19 May 08
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
| The Judge |
Jon Jackson |
| The Commissioners |
|
Heather McConachy, Landscape Architect |
|
Dr Alex Sutherland, Civil Engineer |
| Deputy Commissioner |
Ken Fletcher, Economist |
| Counsel: |
Andrew Beatson for Meridian |
|
Graeme Todd for the CODC |
|
Ian Gordon & Morgan Slyfield for MES & COES |
|
Neville Marquet for Manson & Laurenson Trusts |
|
|
|
Various Appellants, Witnesses and Bag Carriers |
ACT 1 – Scene1
The Golden Gate Lodge, Cromwell
A predictable opening salvo from Meridian’s counsel, Andrew Beatson, repeating arguments and contentions (‘the exceptional nature of the site’s wind resource”, “not an outstanding landscape”, “electricity for 263,000 average homes”, ”the Old Dunstan Road will be remediated so that its appearance is much as it as present”) played out in the previous resource consent hearing.
No surprise either to hear Meridian attempt to capitalise on the The Historic Place’s Trust treacherous withdrawal from the appeal by suggesting that heritage concerns regarding the Road have somehow been satisfied by their absconding. The Don anticipates that Trust Chief Executive, Bruce Chapman, is likely to face tough questioning when he fronts before a meeting of the Central Otago Branch of the NZHPT at 6 pm Wednesday 21, St Enoch’s Church Hall, Centennial Ave, Alexandra.
The Judge was quick to question Mr Beatson re Meridian’s promise of “substantial” financial contributions to offset visual impacts. To whom and how much, has yet to be revealed but the Don will continue digging!
Tony Coggan provided expert testimony re the photographic images and visual simulations while the Court attempted to pursue the ensuing arguments from one photograph or map to the next and back again in a fashion reminiscent of the Grand Old Duke of York. It all seemed rather futile to the Don when Mr Coggan explained that the proposed locations could move anywhere within a 300 metre diameter and conceded that the visual affects of the required roads and earthworks were not depicted.
Bon Mot: Euan Carr, ULP Appellant, to Mr Coggan who conceded his images did not show all the details: “then this picture is only worth five hundred words?”
The Don will be eavesdropping when the hearing resumes on Wednesday 21 May.