Councillors will visit two Hagart Alexander Dr homes this week to perceive how a new road to a proposed subdivision will affect residents in two Mosgiel homes.
A hearing committee for a resource consent application for a Mosgiel subdivision was adjourned last week and will reconvene after Dunedin City councillors David Benson-Pope, Andrew Noone and Lee Vandervis have visited the concerned residents' homes, near the proposed road to a subdivision between Gladstone Rd North and Hagart Alexander Dr.
The councillors wanted more information from consultant surveyor Kurt Bowen, who spoke at the meeting for his client developer, Murray Frost, of Minaret Resources Ltd.
The extra information included design sketches for the proposed intersection and options for an emergency exit for vehicles, an accessway for pedestrians and cyclists to Gladstone Rd North, more noise-mitigation options and the viability of purchasing the two properties neighbouring the proposed new road.
Mr Bowen said he would provide design sketches and was talking with Brooklands on emergency access options but there were no plans to build an alternative pedestrian access to Gladstone Rd North. Sound mitigation options would be researched, Mr Bowen said.
Mr Frost, talking directly to the committee on Friday, said he would be willing to buy one, or both houses, if the agreed price was fair.
To build the road to the 7.5ha subdivision, the developers had the option to buy the 112 Hagart Alexander Dr property.
Mosgiel residents Rod and Shona Innes, of 114 Hagart Alexander Dr, and Matt and Tina Paul, of 110 Hagart Alexander Dr, presented the reasons in the meeting at Municipal Chambers for wanting the consent for the 82-lot subdivision to be declined.
The main concern was the effect of a new public road proposed to serve the subdivision, on undeveloped residential-zoned land.
An emotional Mr Paul broke down when presenting his submission.
A new access road, and bridge or culvert system, built alongside his western boundary fence would increase stress and noise levels and decrease his quality of life.
''If this subdivision goes ahead as proposed we will have a major lifestyle change for the worse,'' he said.
''We can see stress and health issues and can't afford to outlay money to mitigate and address all the noise-related effects.''
Mrs Paul said she was ''insulted'' by the $5000 offer by Minaret to double-glaze some windows in their home.
Mrs Innes, speaking at the meeting on behalf of herself and husband, said the ''quiet tranquillity and privacy'' of their house would be affected by the proposed new roadMrs Innes said Minaret offered the couple $5000 to double glaze three bedrooms if a consent form was signed.
''We do not consider this a fair compensation for disruption caused through no fault of our own,'' Mrs Innes said.
Mr Bowen said all access options to the landlocked subdivision had been considered.
Access from the east was ruled out due to engineering challenges to crossing Owhiro stream, access from the south was ruled out after consultation with KiwiRail and access from the west was ruled out as it was incompatible with Brooklands Retirement Village.
Council planner Lianne Darby recommended consent be granted.
