The public spat over a road name inside a North Taieri subdivision has taken another twist, after the Dunedin City Council voted to make up its own.
Kim Taylor, the project manager for the 18-lot Wakefield Wynd subdivision, has been locked in a battle with the council over the name of the subdivision's cul-de-sac since last year.
Mr Taylor wanted the subdivision's cul-de-sac to also carry the name Wakefield Wynd, but the council was concerned ``Wynd'' could be confusing for emergency services.
There were also concerns about the questionable past of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who set up the New Zealand Company to organise settlement in New Zealand.
Mr Taylor had been asked to consider ``close'', ``place'', ``road'' or ``way'' instead, but he rejected them, refused to provide an alternative and threatened to install his own street sign.
Instead, councillors at yesterday's infrastructure services and networks committee meeting voted to adopt their own preferred name for the street - Cuddie Close.
The name, suggested by Cr Aaron Hawkins, recognised Mary Cuddie, a Scottish immigrant who came to Otago in 1874, farmed on Saddle Hill and later developed a business career.
A report by council staff, considered at yesterday's meeting, noted the council had the power to name the road under the Local Government Act.
Staff had made several requests for alternatives to Wakefield Wynd, but none had been forthcoming, and naming the road ``is now considered to be urgent'', the report by council transport planner Grant Fisher said.
Some properties within the subdivision had already been sold, but, without a name, ``landowners are faced with the uncertainty and inconvenience of having no street address'', he said.
Mr Taylor could still challenge the new name, either by applying to the council to change it or by seeking a judicial review, the report noted.
Mr Taylor did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
Yesterday's decision was one of four road name decisions signed off by councillors.
Also approved was ``Abbeyfield Close'' for a new private way servicing an 11-lot subdivision off North Taieri Rd, and ``Errols Court'' for a private way servicing another 11-lot subdivision off Esplanade, in Warrington.
The developer of the latest stages of the Silver Springs subdivision off Anderton Cres, in Mosgiel, also won approval for the names of two new roads - ``Marjorie Lane'' and ``Mellay Mews'' - and one private way, ``Aviation Lane''.
