Dunedin stadium clears last big hurdle 

Source: ONE NewsProposed new stadium for Dunedin

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The controversial stadium to replace Carisbrook in Dunedin has cleared its last big hurdle.
 
The High Court in Christchurch has thrown out a legal bid from opponents that if successful, would have put the stadium in jeopardy. 
 
Justice Lester Chisholm dismissed the application for a judicial review brought by the Stop the Stadium group, with just seven words.

"The application is dismissed. Costs are reserved," he said.

And that brought huge relief from Dunedin's leaders.

"It is a good day because hopefully it brings some finality to the process ahead," says Peter Chin, Dunedin Mayor.

For three years stadium opponents have met, and marched. They claim they far outnumber supporters.

Their leader is not admitting defeat.

"I'm very disappointed and I need to have further discussions with our legal advisers," says. Bev Butler, Stop the Stadium president.

The stadium contract could be signed now as early as Monday with work starting on the site next month.

Essentially the judge ruled there have not been significant changes to the stadium proposal since ratepayers were last consulted, so there's no need to consult again, and this avoids delays that probably would have torpedoed the project.

The group filed the action a week ago to stop Dunedin City Council signing off on the contract, even after it passed a motion to go ahead with the construction at a meeting on Monday.

The contract has been approved by the council subject to the outcome of the legal action, for which submissions were heard on Thursday.

The Stop the Stadium group maintained the council's stadium proposal had changed significantly since it went through the consultation process and the provisions of the Local Government Act meant the consultation had to be repeated.

But Justice Chisholm said an increase of $10 million in the cost of the project and the reduction of $3 million in the Community Trust contribution did not amount to significant change so that further consultation was not required.

He also did not accept the group's allegations of revenue changes affecting the project.

The council said there had been no change in revenue terms. It said that throughout the planning process, there had been a figure of $66 in rating impact for the average Dunedin section.

The council also reported it now had the benefit of more favourable interest rates for the project.

The judge said he was aware that any delay on the project would jeopardise the chances of the stadium being open in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The news added to celebrations marking the lead-in to Dunedin's first ever French rugby test in June.

"I think the stadium going ahead here is fantastic. I also think it's fantastic for everyone in New Zealand," says Taine Randell, former All Black captain.

Stadium Trust Chairman Malcolm Farry says some people don't understand the significance of a new stadium.

"This thing is going to be absolutely brilliant. Some people don't understand ," he says.

The mayor hopes the court ruling will lessen public division.

"It has has cleared up I think for the public a whole lot of criticism that's been out there," says Chin.

But on the streets, feelings still run high.

"They're not doing what the people want and I consider them to be a rogue council," says one person.

What no one is arguing against are the 600 jobs that will flow from the stadium's construction.

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deltic ; 2009-06-14 @ 15:49 NZDT  

And people say trainspotters are sad, here we have a cult that loves stadiums, great dreary columns of glass and steel. And to think of all the exciting, things you could do with $200plus mill, that would bring in more visitors to a heritage town, of which currrently numbers are dropping, nothing is being added, not now with this sucker forced on us. Mediocrity rules and costs dearly.

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deltic ; 2009-05-05 @ 21:46 NZDT  

The $1.34 price is all spin, 200 million, add on 51 spent so far trying to con, plus just a few years ago millions spent on Carisbrook, 9 year old state of the art buildings to be bowled. Plus the purchase of Carisbrrok , add another 5 mill. Any worthy project gets refused for a drop in the bucket amount. Anyway, if every fringe cause like this wanted $1.34, we'd have a huge bite on our rates. It's a matter of principle.

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deltic ; 2009-05-05 @ 21:41 NZDT  

So, suddenly, we are expecting, the likes of Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Cold Play are suddenly going to make for Dunedin? To fill the stadium, due to population, they'd have to by pass CHCh and try encourage all the punters to come down here. Even if we got one concert a year, its a laugh against the price. The concept of boarding a transportation device like a bus or aeroplane hasn't bothered me so far. the big act orgnaisers said no anyway, they know it wouldnt pay!

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hallum11 ; 2009-05-02 @ 13:50 NZDT  

Max! Good work man! agree with every word of it! Forwarded to dad this morning, he likes your thinking! Reece

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deltic ; 2009-04-29 @ 23:27 NZDT  

Ps, it might just be a little fatuous that the 'silent majority' didnt get counted because they 'decided not' to sned back the survey. Such is the rhetoric of the pro-stadium cult. Get real!

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