Complaints that some local people’s views were not being heard were made at a Palmerston meeting called to discuss setting up motor caravan sites for the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association on the Palmerston showgrounds.
The meeting, attended by more than 80 local residents plus members of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association members, ended with complaints that local people objecting to the proposal were not being heard, Palmerston resident Doug Anderson said after the meeting.
There had been ‘‘overwhelming support’’ at the meeting for a formal application to be made to the Waitaki District Council for a site to be established for motorhomes on the Palmerston and Waihemo A&P Association section of the showgrounds, said A&P Association president Paul Mutch, who chaired the meeting.
He had ended the meeting to allow people to discuss the issues informally.
Mr Anderson alleged support for the motorhome site at the Palmerston showgrounds came from the motorhome members who attended the meeting and local people had been outvoted.
People were concerned that anyone — including freedom campers — would be able to enter the showgrounds and supervision was needed for the site, he said.
Several motorhome owners who attended the meeting were locals but about 25 came from outside East Otago.
The president of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association Ken Foote, of Dunedin, said
at the Oamaru A & P Association grounds, locked gates were opened using a code given to NZ Motorcaravan Association members.
Mr Mutch said another meeting would be called after the issue was discussed by the Palmerston and Waihemo A & P committee.
