The eviction of an entire South Canterbury community has been labelled “appalling” and “disgusting” by residents who are now expected to pay for the demolition of their own homes.
At a public feedback meeting last night, around 50 residents vented their frustration towards the decision from Selwyn District Council to evict residents by 2039.
“Some people here are old… and in 15 years’ time, all you’re doing is getting them into the grave earlier,” an angry resident told the council during the meeting.
Another emotional local told the council “the trust is gone”. She felt the council was not acting on behalf of the community or with their best intentions at heart.
“If you feel comfortable about that, then you shouldn’t be working for a council at all … because it is appalling.”
One father described how his family had owned their hut since 1921, which had been passed down four generations.
“I should bring my kids down and have you explain to them why it should go back to a grassy domain … it doesn’t make sense,” he told the council.
The decision, which was confirmed last month, will impact 96 homes and was made on the basis of climate change and rising sea levels.
Established in 1895, The Selwyn Huts community is located 40km inland from Christchurch and sits alongside Lake Ellesmere.
“As sea levels rise, the lake levels will also rise because its measurement is above sea level basically, and there will be triggers around what that does to the land surrounding the huts,” Selwyn District Mayor Sam Broughton told 1News.
Graeme Young has lived in the area for over 20 years and was also part of the Selwyn Huts Association. He recognised that recent weather events have elevated river levels but confidently said it had never flooded.
“The towns of Lincoln and Ellesmere would be underwater long before we were. We just don’t accept it.”
He feels frustrated residents were only given a day to read and process a 175-page report provided by the council. He argued there was no real opportunity to consult lawyers or get proper feedback.
“People are in a bad state. There are over 150 people who live here, 30 children, and to be told that you have to leave, and you lose all the equity in your house, and then on top of that they want us to pay for the demolition of our houses. That is disgusting.”
It’s understood a fully furnished bach in the area being sold for $120,000 was yesterday offered up for sale at $40,000, by an elderly Australian couple who wanted to relocate back to their original home.
Residents described last month’s council meeting as shambolic.
“Councillors showed they didn’t understand the issue, that’s why we are saying to go back and revisit the issue. Listen to what we’re saying and give us a fair crack,” said Young.
The Upper Selwyn Huts community own their huts, which are on land owned by the Department of Conservation. However, a “deed of license” agreement is needing to be signed by both parties every five years until 2039. This is something residents are not in agreement of.
Many residents felt the council should have allowed the community another 30 years.
“It’s a pretty hard conversation to have, and I totally get the emotion, the thought, the background everyone’s got,” said Broughton.
“Everything that we’ve heard is going to be part of our consideration moving forward.”
Public submission for feedback would close in July, and a response from the council was expected to be delivered to impacted residents by August 14.
“If there’s a clear reason to leave – we would consider it, but there is no clear reason for us to have to leave,” the Selwyn Huts Association told 1News.