The Rawene Avenue property where the helipad might be built. Photo: RNZ/Maia Ingoe
The Aucklanders who want to build a helicopter pad on their multi-million dollar Westmere property have faced stiff opposition from the public on the second day of a hearing on their resource consent application.
The applicants, Anna Mowbray of Zuru Toys and the job platform Zeil, and former All Black Ali Williams have been represented at the hearing by their legal counsel, who finished making their case on Tuesday morning.
For the rest of the week, an independent panel will be hearing from members of the public who are mostly opposed to the helipad.
Reuben Jackson from the Hawke Sea Scouts told the panel on Tuesday that if a helicopter was permitted to land at Coxs Bay around low tide, their scouts aged 6 and up would no longer be able to do activities there at that time. The couple's Rawene Avenue property borders the bay.
He said the scouts were based about 300 metres from the proposed helipad.
"We're really concerned about the safety of our youth when we go out and do coastal clean-ups and ecology walks.
"It would be very dangerous to have a helicopter near us."
Jackson was disappointed the community organisation was not consulted by the applicant about how a helicopter would impact them.
Forest and Bird Nelson branch chairperson Craig Potton also joined the fight to stop the helipad from going ahead.
Speaking remotely via a video link he said helicopter activity at Coxs Bay would unnecessarily harm the well-being of the estuary's migrant bird population.
"These birds are in a very serious state of decline. It's important that in the period they spend in New Zealand they get a chance to feed up before they fly back via China towards Alaska or wherever their breeding ground is.
"Any kind of disturbance in these estuaries, not just helicopters, has a cumulative impact."
A neighbour of the couple said he was unhappy about the noise a landing helicopter would create in the residential area.
Ian Swinton said helicopters interrupted his ability to have conversations and make phone calls when they flew over his home.
"We live within 220 metres of the applicant's site. We've experienced helicopters and their intrusion into our lives from having them in close range at odd times."
Another submitter, psychologist Gail Janet Ratcliffe, echoed these concerns.
She said on Waiheke Island, which had around 60 helicopter pads, locals had experienced a great deal of distress.
"I've had clients referred to me for dealing with the effects of helicopter-related stress.
"People who live near helicopters - it impacts their sleep, it makes them anxious, angry, depressed, they can't work if they work from home."
Some submitters spoke in support of the high-flying couple's helipad.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, accused those opposing the development of scaremongering.
She said people falsely claimed a helicopter would be used at the property twice a day every day.
She said there were rumours she had been offered a family car in exchange for supporting the application, which she unequivocally denied.
The hearing is set to continue on Wednesday, and the panel will decide the fate of Coxs Bay in the coming weeks.
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