Silverdale residents outraged by 800 hectare inland port plans
The land over their back fences is changing from rural scenery to industrial park – and they are not happy.
Many Silverdale residents are outraged by a plan to build an inland port adjacent to their properties.
For years the residents on Sheridan Street and Nevada Road have seen nothing but farmland over their back fences. Now, they say, the changes proposed would mean noise, lighting, fumes, dust, odour and smoke.
Christopher Fagan, 60, has lived on Sheridan street for six years and cannot imagine why the council would want to put an inland port so close to a residential area.
“I am totally against it, I am not saying that they shouldn’t develop it, develop it in a way that is responsible towards the people that live here, a way that is responsible and useful for the people in Hamilton and New Zealand.”
The Hamilton City Council is working close with Tainui Group Holdings and Chedworth Properties, who own large portions of the land.
The Ruakura Structure Plan demonstrates the development of 800ha of farm land over the next 40 to 50 years.
Residents group spokesperson and principal scientist at NIWA, Dr Rob Davies-Colley, says they are all against the idea of an inland port and that it could affect a wider range of people in the area.
“The idea of an inland port is of major concern and I think it should be a concern throughout Hillcrest, Ruakura and Silverdale. All of those suburbs will be affected by noise, vibration, heavy transport, container handling, biosecurity risks and a range of potential environment disruptions.”
However Project Manager, Paula Rolfe, says there will be rules governing things such as noise and lighting.
“As part of the development there are certain rules that are put into the district plan. And these are identified in the draft district plan at this stage. Some of those rules relate to how development looks, how much noise they can make and how much light they can spill.”
Mr Fagan says he is also worried that industrial companies placed near their homes could have an impact on the environment and their health.
“You don’t know what’s going to go there, it could be a tyre manufacture, waste management or a transfer station. Well, I work next to a transfer station and the noise and the smell from that place is horrendous.”
Paula Rolfe says they are making sure those nearby are not majorly affected and that the plan will have positive outcomes for Hamilton.
“It provides for up to 11,000 jobs for the city and overtime creates $4.4 billion worth of GDP [Gross Domestic Product].
“This is quite a significant development, it’s not only of importance for Hamilton but of regional significance. Part of this development provides for the development of an inland port and provides a development between Tauranga and Auckland which also serves Waikato.”
