Airport Coalition Submissions Pass the 500 Mark!

The Paraparaumu Airport Coalition says its drive to gather public submissions opposing an industrial park on the airfield has passed the 500 mark in just three weeks.

"This has been a phenomenal success and just shows the depth of public outrage about Big Box development on our prime open space in Kapiti," says KCDC Councillor Alan Tristram.

The submission forms prepared by the Coalition oppose the Airport Developer's plan change on a range of environment and social issues.

The submissions say the claims of the original Maori and Pakeha landowners must be satisfied before any development takes place.

"We cannot allow this land to covered in Big Boxes, a supermarket and a petrol station until the land claims are dealt with," Cr Tristram says. "Surely the developer (Mr Noel Robinson) realises that the original owners don't want this sort of development on their land!"

The submissions also oppose the plan to abolish the existing East/West runway and stress the need to keep the airport for aviation development.

Other parts of the submissions  stress safety, traffic congestion and infrastructure issues.

Councillor Tristram says new supporters have been flocking to join the Airport Coalition supporters' group and this gives the lie to the developer's claims that the Coalition is a "small group."

"We have huge and growing community support," says Cr Tristram.

He says the Airport Coalition is also warning all local body election candidates that the Airport issue will be a prime campaign issue.

"We predict that few of the councillors who have allowed unchecked development to proceed will retain their seats at the election later this year." he says.

ENDS

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