John MacDonald: Neighbourhoods change. That's life.

I can understand why people living at Pegasus, north of Christchurch, are upset about the golf course there being sold to a large property developer.

But, at the same time, how long can anyone expect the area they live in to stay the same?

And, while I might not make friends with the Pegasus people saying this, I think they are just going to have to accept it.

What happened is we got a tip-off earlier this week that the golf course was about to be sold.

The resort-style golf club opened in 2009 and was one of the key attractions for people who moved there, but the club went belly up in March, owing about $9 million to creditors.

We were also told earlier this week that there was a plan to use the Government’s fast-track legislation to get houses built on the land.

So our newsroom started looking into it. The Waimakariri Council said it was news to them. They said they hadn’t been approached about rezoning the land, and they knew nothing about it being fast-tracked.

There was nothing about it on the Government’s fast-track website either.

Then we found out that the deal on the land is due to be signed today, so maybe that will be the catalyst for trying to get it all fast-tracked.

Much of the property would have to be rezoned for housing before it could be fully developed. I gather the first two holes on the course, as well as the clubhouse and the driving range, were rezoned by previous owners who had planned to build a resort and a hotel there.

A housing development is not what Pegasus residents saw happening. They are gutted. “Heartbroken” is another way they’re describing the way they’re feeling.

The question this all raises, though, is how long can we expect the areas we live in to stay the same?

Whether we like it or not, I think it’s unreasonable to expect no change.

The concerns people in Pegasus have about a housing development swamping the golf course and changing the nature or the vibe of the area where they live aren’t limited to Pegasus.

And, yes, I’m sure having that big green area at Pegasus must be great.

But nothing stays the same forever, wherever you live.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
I can understand why people living at Pegasus north of
christ Church are upset about the golf course there being
sold to a large property developer. I can understand that.
But at the same time, how long can anyone expect
the area they live in to stay the same. And
while I might not make friends with the Pegasus people

(00:34):
saying this, I think they're just going to have to
accept it. So what happened is we got to tip
off earlier this week that the golf course was about
to be sold. You might remember that the golf club
itself at Pegasus went into liquidation in March, showing about
nine million bucks to creditors, and it opened in two

(00:55):
thousand nine. It's a little bit of history. The resort
style golf club opened in two thousand and nine and
it was one of the key attractions for people who
moved there. And so when the the golf club itself
went balley up in March, this group called the Pegasus
Guardians started to maintain the course so it could still
be used. So as well as being told earlier this

(01:17):
week that the golf course was about to be sold.
We were also told that there was a plan to
use the government's fast track legislation to get houses built
there asap. That's what we were told, and so our
newsroom got on to it, started looking into it, and
first place I went to was the Weimacreti Council, who
said news to us. They said they hadn't been approached

(01:41):
about rezoning the land, and they knew nothing about it
being fast tracked or being sold or anything, and there
was nothing about it on the government's fast Track website either.
Then we found out that the deal on the land
is due to be signed today, so maybe that will
be the catalyst for trying to get it all fast tracked,
which just as an aside, would be right up the

(02:02):
Government Street, wouldn't it. It was a big piece of land.
Chris Bishop would love the idea of a whole lot
more people, or a whole lot more housing anyway, right
on the doorstep of the new wood End bypass. Now
much of the property would have to be rezoned, which
is why we went to the council. They didn't know
anything about it. Much of it would have to be

(02:23):
rezoned before it could be fully developed. I gathered. The
first two holes on the golf course, as well as
the clubhouse and the driving range were rezoned by previous
owners had planned to build a resort in a hotel there.
Remember all those big ideas, but a housing development is
not what Pegas's residents saw happening, and they are gutted, heartbroken.

(02:45):
As another way they're describing the way they're feeling this morning,
and I see some people already getting in touch, asking
if the people at Pegas's might be jumping to conclusions,
getting ahead of themselves, suggesting that perhaps the buyer of
the land might just be an avid golfer. Might be,
but considering emails seen by news talks, they would be

(03:05):
from a Pegas peak as guardians and I say are
now managing the course and looking after it. Considering those
emails say Wolfbrook Properties is the outfit buying the land,
and that the purchase is expected to be finalized today.
I think when you put two and two together, you
definitely get forward, don't you. This is a plan for housing.
The question this all raises, though, is how long can

(03:29):
we expect the areas we live in to stay the same,
and whether we like it or not. I think It's
unreasonable to expect no change because we're saying it right
through christ Church, aren't we. You know, the concerns people
and Pegass have about a housing development swamping the golf
course and changing the nature or the vibe of the

(03:49):
area where they live. I mean, those concerns aren't just
limited to Pegasus, are they? And yeah, I'm sure having
that big green area at Pegasus must be brilliant. Nothing though,
nothing stays the same. This is where I'm at. Nothing
stays the same wherever you live. But where do you
stand on this? Do you think the people of Pegasus.

(04:13):
Do you think they're justified being so upset about the
prospect of a big housing development showing up their golf
course or do you think change not just at Pegasus
but everywhere? Do you think change is inevitable and we
just have to stomach it.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live
to news Talks It'd be christ Church from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.