Thursday, 18 May 2023

Southern Metropolitan Region

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:58): (194) My constituency question today is for the Minister for Planning, and it concerns the Ashburton shopping centre. I have had a number of representations from traders in that centre and from owners of properties, and they concern the proposed Ashburton heritage overlay. Ashburton is a very busy and popular shopping centre. There are some buildings of significance there. I for one am generally a strong protector of heritage and a strong advocate for good heritage protection; however, in this case it does not appear to stack up. Despite some of the material, I do not think it stacks up, so I am asking the minister to be aware of the proposals to put an overlay preventing any changes to the Ashburton shopping centre and, if that occurs, to make sure that there is broad consultation. I am concerned that traders will be impacted and owners will be impacted through an outcome that is not well documented or sufficiently strong.

Sitting suspended 12:59 pm until 2:03 pm.