“They’re making the noise and they want to be able to get away with it and they don’t mind disturbing the sleep of the West Melton people and disturbing their daily lives,” Larason said.
“The irony, which is huge, is they are concerned about their guys getting sleep (in Burnham) while they’re ramping it up here.
“They just believe they are above the people.”
Larason is a co-founder of Rein in the Range, a group set up by residents in 2009 to get NZDF to limit explosive activity at the range and better communicate with residents.
NZDF is appealing to the Environment Court to reverse a decision in the District Plan not to put noise covenants on properties near the rifle range.
Larason’s comments come after Selwyn Times revealed last month NZDF has concerns about Burnham 2020 Ltd, a Fletcher Building subsidiary, wanting to build a quarry 500m from the Burnham camp.
In the NZDF submission to Environment Canterbury for the quarry, it said if noise was not managed at the site, it would disrupt personnel and other Burnham residents.
It also wanted reassurances about the quarry’s effects on water sources, transport routes, and how dust will be managed.
In May, mediation was held between the NZDF and residents opposing the appeal, but no agreement was reached and it is expected to be heard by the Environment Court early next year.
The NZDF declined to comment to Selwyn Times due to the issue being before the court.
At the same time residents are fighting NZDF, the Selwyn District Council is also opposing a decision by former defence minister Andrew Little not to produce a noise management plan for the range.
Four submissions from West Melton residents prompted the request for the plan.
“Council recommended to the minister of defence that a noise management plan be developed, but this request was declined,” a council spokesperson said.
“The two parties have completed mediation, but could only agree on what a noise management and a potential communication plan for the range might look like.”
The office for Minster of Defence Judith Collins referred all questions to the NZDF, which declined to comment.
Due to the overlap between the council and resident appeals, both will be heard by the court at the same time.
Larason said there have been few issues with noise from the range since it signed an agreement with residents in 2009 after a blast wave damaged properties and left animals distressed.
But he thinks the “writing is on the wall” for the NZDF to ramp up operations at the range if they get the covenant.
“They’re intending on increasing noise levels here, but they won’t explain why. They won’t say what for, or what the noise levels will be.”
NZDF would not say what its future plans for the range are.
