Last chance for rural car wrecking yard

The operators of a Canterbury car wrecking yard have been given a final opportunity to clean up their property, four-and-a-half years after the first complaint was lodged.

Lawton and Elizabeth Giltrap are required to stop running Giltrap Spares Ltd from their Curries Rd, Springston South, property because their industrial activity breaches the District Plan as the land is zoned rural.

In an enforcement order issued on September 1, Environment Court Judge Prudence Steven directed the Giltraps to immediately stop receiving vehicles and parts, and to remove all vehicles, wrecks, parts, machinery and materials currently on the property.

The order states the Giltraps have 40 working days to prepare a removal plan for the Selwyn District Council and, once approved, have 60 working days to remove the vehicles.

In the case of an “extreme weather event”, they may be granted up to 90 working days to complete the removal.

If they fail to comply, the council has the authority to clear the property itself and recover any associated costs.

The council first received a complaint about the yard in April 2021. Since then, two abatement notices have failed to secure compliance.

“The council endeavoured to work with the respondents to ensure the activities ceased or were regularised. However, compliance was not achieved, and in September 2024, the local member of parliament (Nicola Grigg) referred the council to further complaints received,” the enforcement order stated.

• Vehicle wrecking yard taken to court

At the time of the 2024 complaints, Selwyn Times reported people living nearby becoming frustrated with a lack of action from the council.

“They’re doing nothing, absolutely nothing. We live in the country so we obviously don’t want to have a scrapyard on our doorstep.”

Another person living nearby said the car wrecking yard “was not right” and the council should be doing more.

“As far as the vehicles (wrecking) go, the council is slack as.”

The enforcement allows the Giltraps to keep up to 15 “personal vehicles” on the property.

“The reason for this addition is to identify which vehicles are for personal use, and therefore can lawfully remain on the property,” the order states.

Said council development and growth executive director Robert Love: “We are pleased to have reached a resolution on this matter, and we look forward to working with the Giltraps to complete the mutually agreed process.”

The Giltraps did not respond to the Selwyn Times.