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Penguin rescued from Takapuna shaft... p3
Issue May 24, 2024 Issue 1 –129 Issue 151 – March 115 – 15 2019 March 2019 Issue March 2019
Local MP’s signs breach bylaw... p6
AN INDEPENDENT AN INDEPENDENT VOICEVOICE AN INDEPENDENT VOICE
Community garden distributes veges... p11
High-rise owners want park deal overturned Owners of the Spencer on Byron hotel-and-apartments high-rise are attempting to overturn an original council planning consent requiring a portion of the site to be kept as a public garden area. The body corporate is seeking a new non-notified planning consent that would instead allow 870 sqm of land on the southwest frontage of the 4900 sqm site to be used
for 24 car parks, albeit with the addition of some landscaping. The land was formerly a landscaped lawn area with specimen trees, but has been used for a site office, construction area and parking during leaky-building repairs since 2017. “It’s a bit cheeky because we’ve been plugging away for two years to get that park restored,” said the chair of Takapuna
Residents Association (TRA), Steven Salt. “We had every expectation to have the park back after construction,” he said. Instead, a pre-application meeting about replacing the original consent with another was held between council staff and bodycorporate representatives last November. An application was lodged by the body corporate last month. To page 2
Opera duo share musical roots
In tune... Rosmini College old boys Matthew Kereama (left) and singing star Moses Mackay credit the high school with fostering their music careers. Now, they are working together on an opera. Stories, pages 13-15.
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