Camp area seen as health hazard

Development of a seasonal workers’ accommodation complex in Cromwell cannot come soon enough for a Cromwell businessman, who says he does not like sending his staff to attend calls at a freedom-camping site because it has become a health hazard.

Cromwell vehicle salvage  operator Ross Hansen contacted the Otago Daily Times to say he was reluctant to send staff to retrieve or fix vehicles at the Bendigo camping area.

Human faeces and toilet paper had been strewn over the site in summer, and continuing to attend to callouts for vehicles there was putting his staff’s health in jeopardy, he said.

Even working on some of the vehicles  freedom campers  brought to town to be fixed was posing a health risk, as they were so dirty and unsanitary.

"They’re [freedom campers] living in them [cars and vans] and the vehicles and the people living in them don’t smell very nice. It’s a disgrace."

Another Cromwell man, who preferred to remain anonymous, said he had counted 104 non-self-contained vehicles at the Bendigo camping area at one stage in February. There were also 13 tents at the site, and two people sleeping under sheets of plastic.

Mr Hansen said new accommodation complexes or camping grounds needed to be built in Cromwell to stop freedom campers causing more problems.

"It’s top priority. The repercussions of a health scare could be frightening. People need to do something now."

The Bendigo camping area is one of several managed by Land and Information New Zealand (Linz) and its contractor, with whom the Central Otago District Council works in partnership.

The Otago Daily Times reported last month that Cromwell orchardists were concerned about the public health risks of continued freedom camping by fruit-pickers living in areas without hot water or with limited toilet facilities.

At the time Linz acting group manager Crown property Trevor Knowles said Linz was aware of "growing pressures" on camping areas around the Central Otago-Lakes area, and  some campers were "not using these facilities for what they were designed".

Linz’s contractor had increased its monitoring of toilet facilities in the camping areas, but had not needed to issue any trespass notices this summer.

Linz group manager Crown property John Hook said this week Linz was "deeply concerned" about further reports about freedom-camping areas becoming a health hazard, and it would be speaking to its contractors about what else could be done.

Cromwell orchardist and Summerfruit New Zealand chairman Tim Jones said last month orchardists had three suggestions to resolve concerns: for Central Otago’s freedom-camping policy to be examined and enforced; for orchardists to develop an accord to employ only those staff with proof of accommodation; and to explore the development of a new camping ground for orchard workers with shower and toilet facilities.

Another seasonal workers’ accommodation complex is already planned in Cromwell as part of a multi-lot development by Hamilton-based company AC/JV Holdings Ltd.

The company, headed by directors Alistair William Hey, of Queenstown, and Clark Michael Proctor, of Auckland, has an unconditional contract with the Central Otago District Council (CODC) to buy 7ha of industrially zoned land in Cemetery Rd.

Central Otago District Council property and facilities manager Mike Kerr said the  agreement meant the company was required to have a code of compliance for a minimum of 200 beds and the floor slab in place for another 200 beds by March 30 next year.

Mr Kerr said resource consent for the project was granted in May last year, and applications for building consents were expected within weeks.