Judge upholds council rezoning

The City Council has been vindicated in an Environment Court decision released by Judge David Sheppard.


The City Council last year approved the rezoning of land in the Rangitikei Street/Tremaine Avenue area for the purpose of large format retailing.


The decision was challenged in the Environment Court in August by Progressive Enterprises Ltd (Woolworths, Countdown) which opposed the rezoning which would have allowed Foodstuffs (New World, Pak ‘N Save) to develop a supermarket on Rangitikei Street.


Progressive Enterprises’ case was based on a number of grounds including the argument that the rezoning allowed for retail development outside of the CBD and the accompanying increase in traffic congestion.


However the judge upheld the Council’s rezoning and, in effect, his judgement permits the development of large format retailing including the development of a supermarket in the Rangitikei Street and Tremaine Avenue area.


The judge’s decision is subject to an appeal to the High Court within 30 working days.