s 9(2)(a)
Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc
A: s 9(2)(a)
E: s 9(2)(a)
M: s 9(2)(a)
29 November 2023
Dear Hon Chris Bishop,
I am writing to you with an update to a report emailed to you in the last week from the
Soicety regarding this same matter
We have grave concerns with respect to a letter received today by email and hand delivered
in the neighbourhood surrounding the proposed build site at Teitei Drive Ohakune. (See
Appendix 1)
In summary, the letter explains that a new resource consent will be submitted in early 2024
to enable earthworks at the site and that the new resource consent “
does not include the
subdivision of individual lots” and that “
The land use and subdivision designs will be part of a
second resource consent application”.
We note that there is already two resource consents lodged with Ruapehu District Council in
July 2023 and being processed with agreement that they will be notified and S.92 requests
for further information extant and overdue. These two resource consents were submitted
as Non Complying Activities rather than as Permitted Activities - on the basis of them being
non notified, with less than minor effects - as per reports provided to the then Ministers to
under the Official Information Act
approve the above funding, (See Appendix 3 & Appendix 4). We suggest this is a serious
breach of duty to the then Minister by KO and officials and was a big part of the reason
funding was finally approved.
We also note that the applicants have belatedly lodge applications with Horizons Regional
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Council in August 2023 and that these have requests for further applications outstanding
AND agreement the applications will be notified and a joint hearing held.
It appears that this change in tack is a clear attempt to meet the initial condition of the
funding agreement between HUD and KO relating to the IRG Covid Relief Government Grant
for ‘shovel ready projects – this requires the project to be started within 12 months and the
cut off date is 31 March 2024.
Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
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There is also still to be lodged a follow-up application for land use consent due on the initial
time-line in mid 2024 (but likely delayed) to address the siting of the non-complying
dwellings, access and parking breaches. Our independent technical and legal research
shows that these current and the future resource consents would likely (as presently
presented) fail to meet the policies and rules on a number of matters, including
infrastructure design.
In addition, we note KO’s own 2023 Policy Document Building Design requirements are also
not complied with. With this knowledge and the prospect of protracted litigation – Judicial
Review and/or Environment Court appeals - KO has now changed tack in a last gasp attempt
to obfuscate the real issues surrounding the development. That is that there is a real issue
around the use of the taxpayer’s moneys via the aforesaid Grant.
We advise originally funding was declined on two occasions, due to concerns that the
project was not “Shovel Ready” and that there were concerns with both the Working Group
(WG) and the Steering Group” (SG). (See Appendix 2)
“CIP working group perspective difficult to bring back Project 2 again to SG”
“cannot see SG changing their minds”
This Teitei Housing project has already incurred consultancy costs of over $600,000 (not
counting staff time) before breaking ground, before any infrastructure is put in place.
Other development costings have been advised (but not verified), before appropriate
consents have been approved (and conditions known if approved) and clearly without
community support. We consider the proposal at this stage to not be practical or credible.
We estimate that figure for consultants will rise to in excess of $1m before works
commencing, being a large amount of the balance Grant approved and that the overall
project cost will continue to skyrocket.
In summary - With the addition of another consent relating solely to “earthworks”, Kainga
under the Official Information Act
Ora & Ruapehu District Council hope to achieve compliance with the CIP/IRG Funding, viz.
Breaking ground within 12 months of contract, being a condition of the agreement for this
“Shovel Ready” Grant. They also are trying to get an approval that would then permit an
add-on consent for subdivision (Because ‘you’ approved the earthworks.)
As taxpayers and ratepayers we are deeply concerned. We have currently troubled fiscal
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times, and there is doubt as to who is to pay for the very likely blowout in costs to achieve
this unwanted development.
I ask that you carry out a full audit and investigation into this development proposal, its
costings and future liability as a priority as it is time sensitive and critical.
Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
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under the Official Information Act
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Appendix 1 – Letter drop and email received 29 Nov 2023
under the Official Information Act
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Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
4
Appendix 2 – CIP Minutes 11 December 2020
under the Official Information Act
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Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
5
Appendix 3 – Project Risks, see highlighted
under the Official Information Act
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Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
6
Appendix 4 – Key terms of agreement, see highlighted
under the Official Information Act
Released
Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc.
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