Majority opposed to 2000-home Lincoln South development plan change

The majority of residents oppose the 2000-home Lincoln South development plan change.

The Selwyn District Council has catalogued about 330 submission points from about 260 residents and other individuals and organisations in its summary of the private plan change request 69 consultation. 

Seventy-four per cent of the submission points, 245, are in outright opposition to Carter Group’s zone change application, which seeks to rezone about 190 hectares of current rural land in Lincoln to residential land.

• Residents views made public
• 2000-home development in Selwyn district

A further 45 are in partial opposition. This leaves only 28, just eight per cent, of submission points either supporting, or supporting in part, the plan change.

The remainder are neither in support nor opposition to the plan change, which would see Lincoln increase in size by more than half if it went ahead.

One of the opposing submissions was from 84 residents at Verdeco Park.

They said the proposed bypass road would exponentially increase traffic through their area, which is to the immediate south of the proposed development.

The residents said it would also impact surrounding properties and devalue them, as it was on land already designated as a reserve and stormwater area.

The Canterbury District Health Board opposed in part the reliance on private vehicles that the subdivision would encourage.

However, it supported in part proposals for raising the minimum floor level in the development as it was in a lower catchment area, as well as installing a wetland to facilitate stormwater treatment and plans to connect to existing water infrastructure.

Most submissions were from Lincoln residents. 

The Lincoln South plan change application has been controversial in the township.

Residents unsure about the project organised a public meeting in June, which more than 200 people attended.

Residents’ submissions, as summarised by the district council, show a wide range of concerns. They include views such as Chudleigh Homestead would be surrounded by medium density housing, there would be increased traffic outside Ararira Springs Primary School, there is not enough emergency services or schools in Lincoln to cater to the new subdivision, the scale of the development is inconsistent with the size and rural character on Lincoln, it would cause the loss of high quality agricultural soil, it would impact on birdlife, the night sky and the ecological health of the Liffey Creek and LII River.

Further submissions on the plan change closed on Wednesday night.