The Westland District Council's plans to restrict development along the Alpine faultline will render land and businesses in the zone "worthless" and property owners should be compensated for relocating, objectors say.
The council has received 20 submissions on its proposed plan change 7, which establishes "fault rupture avoidance zones" (FRAZs) along the faultline, where no new buildings would be allowed and existing buildings could not be expanded. Public opinion on the plan change, which affects at least 30 Franz Josef properties, appeared evenly divided.
Rob and Jan Nicholl own land in the FRAZ and said properties, such as theirs, that would become "uninhabitable" as a result of the plan change should get immediate rates relief to reflect value.
"To all intents and purposes, you have rendered our block of land worthless. Can't clear it, can't put a holiday home on it, can't sell it," they said.
Neil Matchett, owner of Glacier Motors Ltd, and South Westland Salmon owners Graham and Brenda Monk were among those calling for compensation for relocating businesses.
"With a stroke of a pen, you can destroy a lifetime of work for us and any chance we ever had of retirement through the sale of our business," the Monks wrote.
The Franz Josef Community Committee called for the council to withdraw the plan "pending a combined community, local and central government review".
Dr Cheryl Brunton, of Community and Public Health West Coast, applauded the council's approach, and recommended any existing land uses with the potential for contamination in an earthquake, such as fuel tank storage, be assessed to mitigate hazards.
Federated Farmers West Coast president Katie Milne also supported the plan change.
Council planner Rebecca Beaumont said the next step was to prepare a summary of the submissions, which would then be notified for further submissions.
