Opposition is growing to Meridian Energy building a new multimillion-dollar office on an open space in the Twizel town centre, despite the Mackenzie District Council having approved a conditional sale.
Now, one of the area's councillors is conducting a poll to gauge opposition or support for the sale, which could determine how he votes when the sale comes up for final approval at a council meeting on Tuesday.
The council is to consider Meridian's concept plans for the single storey building on a 4010 sq m site worth $569,420 on Mackenzie Dr, opposite one of the main approaches to the town centre.
At present, the area is open space with grass and trees, next to the Market Place shopping centre.
Although there is almost unanimous support to have Meridian shift from its existing complex about 3km south of Twizel on State Highway 8 to the town centre, there appears to be growing opposition to the use of that site, including protest signs appearing there this week.
Opponents are suggesting Meridian move about 50m south to another site.
But Meridian wants to continue, pointing out the council offered the land because it wanted to sell it and the building had been specifically designed for that site.
Known as the ''Bowling Green'', opponents do not want to see the green space lost, a view expressed at a public meeting on August 23, although the Twizel Community Board has recommended the sale proceed.
Now, ward councillor James Leslie is conducting an online poll and one through the local Twizel Update newsletter to gauge what the community's view is.
''It's entirely unofficial and my own initiative because I've had a whole spectrum of responses [about the issue] and this is one way to get an idea of what the community wants.''
Cr Leslie would not indicate what his view was and said if there was ''significant support'' one way, he would be ''voting on behalf of the community''.
Asked what ''significant support'' would be, Cr Leslie said ''about two to one''.
The survey asks if people favour Meridian moving into the town centre.
It then asks where the new building should be - on the proposed site or further south, keeping the proposed site as open space or for other retail development.
Meridian's asset maintenance manager Mat Bayliss said the new building, with space for up to 85 people, would cost between $4 million and $5 million.
''The site we're keen to develop has been available for commercial development via the district plan as far back as 1997.
"Meridian was offered this land by the council for its new Twizel office and we're keen to purchase it,'' he said.
The proposed building was designed for the flat ''Bowling Green'', so it could not be shifted without design changes and additional landscape costs.
''It's important to remember the council offered us this land because they want to sell it,'' he said.
Meridian's existing complex houses about 65 staff and was built in the 1970s at the start of the construction of the Upper Waitaki canal-based power scheme and used to house the control centre for all the company's generation in New Zealand.
The company said it was no longer cost-effective to refurbish the buildings and it also wanted staff to be a more integral part of the community by housing them closer to facilities.
