June 11, 2015
Special housing area threat to community
Rangatahi at Ihumatao are taking the lead in protests against proposals to build up to 500 houses alongside the Otuataua Stonefields on the edge of the Manukau Harbour.
Spokesperson Qiane Matata Sipu says their group Save Our Unique Landscape is questioning how foreign-owned Fletcher Residential was able to buy 32 hectares of farmland on Oruarangi Rd and get it redesignated as a special housing area, opening the way for fast-track development.
In the past the council tried to buy the land to retain it as public open space.
Ms Matata Sipu says it will destroy the special character of the area, which has been occupied for 1000 years.
"If you look at the average family of five that's two and a half thousand people and a thousand more cars in a small semi-rural community that has no infrastructure, zero public transport, the airport is about to close off one of the roads so there'ill be one road in and one road out," she says.
Qiane Matata Sipu says a petition has been put on Change.org, and the Soul group is trying to get public support to overturn the decision.
Copyright © 2015, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com