'Stop the land swap' by making a submission on the 'Wellington Regional Growth Framework' here https://wrgf.co.nz . The Framework documents and website do not mention the land swap or the Silverstream Spur or the proposed Guildford development on the Spur and Pinehaven hills, but it's all in there.
Upper Hutt City Council has put the proposed Guildford development into this Regional Growth Framework under a different name, the ‘Upper Hutt Southern Growth Area’. Check out the diagram on p7 of the ‘Summary Draft Wellington Regional Growth Framework’, or check out Diagram 1 (p4) and Diagrams 8 & 9 (p37) in the full document titled ‘Draft-Wellington-Regional-Growth-Framework-SEPT-2020’.
The Framework documents and website tell you nothing about what the ‘Southern Growth Area’ is. The ‘Upper Hutt Southern Growth Area’ is the Guildford private development on the Silverstream Spur and Pinehaven hills. [For more information about the ‘Southern Growth Area’, see Upper Hutt City Council’s ‘Land Use Strategy 2016, pp79-80 https://www.upperhuttcity.com/.../Strat.../Land-Use-Strategy ].
The Wellington Regional Growth Framework, once finalised in June this year, will set the direction for future growth which all Councils in the region will have to follow. If you:
don’t want to lose the Silverstream Spur public reserve;
or don’t want housing on the Spur or Pinehaven hills;
or if you think there are better and more sustainable ways of providing for future growth than sprawling over our greenbelt and rural hills;
or if you don’t want to end up paying for roads and infrastructure for about 160ha of Guildford development or for getting rid of Guildford’s problematic pine trees on 132ha of their steepest land
Then we strongly suggest you oppose the 'Southern Growth Area' in the Wellington Regional Growth Framework consultation. Have a look at our suggestions attached, however we advise you to use your own words in your submission.
THIS CONSULTATION CLOSES ON MONDAY 10th MAY.
How to make a submission
Making a submission is simple, but please make sure you read the consultation document (https://wrgf.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Draft-Framework-Report.pdf). There are a number of questions in the survey (which is anonymous) and on the face of it a lot of what is being proposed seems entirely sensible. The issue is that with the "Southern Growth Area" is contrary to many of the goals stated in the document.
To make a submission go to https://survey.publicvoice.co.nz/s3/wrgf and follow the instructions.
Save our hills will be strongly disagreeing with all that is being proposed, and we recommend that you use the comment fields to qualify your answers and to explain why you disagree or agree, specifically ensure you mention the "Southern Growth Area". It's important that you use your own words to voice your opposition to ensure that your submission is not ignored.