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NEWS RELEASE 12 NOVEMBER 2005

The Southern Environmental Associaton (SEA) today said it was a "notable coincidence" that the sinking of the frigate off the South Coast has been rescheduled to Sunday 13 November - the same day as a public protest (from 1 to 4 p.m.) to keep part of the new South Coast coastal park in public hands and stop it being sold to private developers for housing development.

"All predictions are that the sinking of the frigate off the South Coast will inevitably result in a marked increase in visitors and tourists to the area.

"It is therefore essential for the City Council to retain the public coastal park land in public ownership as open space, to ensure that we have sufficient public land along the coast for visitors and tourists. It would be sheer madness for the Council to privatise part of the coast in view of the predictions for visitor and tourist growth", says SEA secretary Robert Logan.

SEA chairperson June Epsom says: "It is great that local Councillor Celia Wade-Brown (WCC's Environment Spokesperson) has put this issue down on the Council agenda for 23rd November so that Councillors can vote to keep the land in public hands. We have urged the Council to think 100 years ahead in their parks planning, because if you do this you realise how precious all of our coastal public land is."

The protest will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday 13 November, at the gateway to the new reserve at the end of Owhiro Bay Parade.

As well as fighting to keep the coastal land in public ownership, the protest is urging that the Council should conduct a full public consultation process before finalising plans for public facilities and buildings at the entrance to the new coastal reserve.

ENDS

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