Neither Halswell nor Hornby wanted to claim the suburb - currently in the Halswell boundary - and which ward it should belong to was hotly contested at a review hearing in October.
Following the hearing, the Local Government Commission released its decision this week.
Halswell Residents’ Association co-secretary David Hawke said it was disappointing the commission had not allowed for future growth in the Halswell area.
“If they’ve filled the ward up, that’s no good,” he said.
Wards are required to be approximately similar in size.
However, Greater Hornby Residents Association chairman Marc Duff said he was pleased with the outcome.
“It seems sensible, and really the only decision they could make. They’ve obviously listened to the submissions,” he said.
At the submissions hearing, Hawke argued the Southern Motorway should be the western border of the Halswell Ward, allowing for growth towards the southeast.
Meanwhile Duff argued Springs Rd, rather than the motorway, was the natural boundary between the wards.
He wanted the Hornby Ward to encompass more of Sockburn and Yaldhurst instead.
The commission report reflected the struggle to decide.
“The pace of growth and number of new subdivisions in this area means that it is difficult to clearly identify the communities of interest and how to identify where ward boundaries should fall to best allow for effective representation,” it stated.
“In this case, the commission is inclined to agree with the council’s final proposal with regards to the Wigram Skies subdivision and upholds the Hornby Ward/Halswell Ward boundary.”
The commission also determined the Hornby Ward would encompass the area between West Coast Rd and Old West Coast Rd, in line with the Greater Hornby Residents Association’s request.
The request by the Halswell Residents’ Association to include the Copper Ridge subdivision in the Halswell Ward was also granted.
