Public invited to attend Hamilton East Information Workshop next week

Hamilton East residents, business owners and community group representatives will have an opportunity next week to have a say about how their area should be shaped in the future.

Hamilton City Council is holding an Information Workshop next Wednesday, 10 September from 10am-8pm at St John's Church Hall, corner of Wellington and Grey Streets, to gauge how the people who live, work and play in Hamilton East believe future development can be better managed. As part of the Workshop, two presentations will be held at 12.15pm and 4.45pm.

Hamilton City Council Senior Planner Mark Roberts said the Workshop is in response to concerns expressed in submissions to Council's 2007/08 Annual Plan. "The submissions expressed concerns about inappropriate forms of development in terms of subdivision, building form, intensity of development, lack of design controls and the need to recognise the special character of the area in terms of its heritage buildings, streetscape and landscape."

Mr Roberts said a character assessment was recently carried out in Hamilton East by a team of heritage specialist and urban designers and it is now important for Council to gauge the opinions of those who live, work and play in the area against the findings of the character assessment.

"We understand that the people who care most about the future of Hamilton East are those who in some way or another have ties to the area – whether they live there, work there or use the area as the base for their sports team, club or community group. That's why we want to hear how these people would like the area to be shaped in the future."

Fliers advertising the Workshop are being distributed to Hamilton East residents and businesses this week and information on the project is also available on the Hamilton City Council website at www.hamilton.co.nz/hamiltoneast.