Cave party not welcome at Long Beach

Long Beach residents are concerned their small community and beach environment could suffer if a planned 1000-patron event goes ahead, despite the assurances of the organiser he has planned for everything that could possibly go wrong.

David Booth, of Emberley New Zealand, said yesterday that with dub-roots music organised and transport, safety, security and environmental issues planned for, the proposed "Cave Sessions 2010" could go ahead without disruption to the beach or the residents.

"Cave raves" had been held in the past with nothing like the level of organisation he was providing, Mr Booth said.

Long Beach Amenities Society spokesman Norman Anderson said last night he respected the effort to which Mr Booth had gone.

"My point is the cave is not an area for parties. It's a unique ecological site. That's the way it should stay," he said.

The issue will come to a head tomorrow evening, when residents hold a meeting with Mr Booth and Dunedin City Council staff.

The issue arose when Mr Booth sent a letter to residents explaining the March 19 event would be held in a fenced, licensed and securely controlled area which would include the cave.

"Most importantly, we personally guarantee that the beach and surrounding environment will receive the utmost respect, and, having removed all trace of rubbish we will leave the beach in the condition we found it in."

The letter evidently did not go down well with everyone, as a second letter apologised for any "ill feeling", and poor communication.

Nic MacArthur, of the amenities society, said there was concern about having a sound stage, lighting and generators at the cave.

The event would cram 1000 people into "a sensitive dune environment", with the area a nesting ground for little blue penguins and species of sea birds.

Past events had produced antisocial behaviour.

Mr Booth responded yesterday he had visited the area with council and Department of Conservation staff, and would fence areas that needed to be protected.

There would be police, security and St John staff present, and the event would not be the sort that attracted the hard-partying, party drug-taking crowd.

"It's dub music. It's all quite relaxed stuff."

He had made extensive efforts to mitigate the sort of concerns residents had.

There would be regular bus trips for people who wanted to leave, or were asked to leave, with security staff on the buses, and strict protocols for alcohol.

Council resource consents manager Alan Worthington said yesterday a decision on a consent application, and whether it would be publicly notified, was expected this week.