UHCC Norwood Lodge (2004)

Environment Court Appeal, Expert Evidence

Location: Mangaroa Valley, Upper Hutt City

Client: Upper Hutt City Council

The appeal site is 4.19ha and is located on the northern side of  Colletts Road in the Mangaroa Valley , Upper Hutt . The applicant wished to subdivide the site into two lots of 2.19ha and 2ha respectively.  The site is zoned Rural with a sub zoning of “Valley Floor” in the Proposed District Plan, with subdivision below 4ha being a discretionary activity. The application was declined by UHCC.

Hudson Associates was engaged by Upper Hutt City Council as an expert witness for the Environment Court Appeal, and presented evidence on amenity and rural character effects. The appeal was declined, as was a High Court appeal and the applicant was also declined leave to take the case to the Court of Appeal. This is considered a significant case in terms of precedent effects for rural subdivision.