Rural Residents get together to protect the environment

Rural residents are getting together to protect the environment in the South Wairarapa.
Over forty residents have formed the Rural Residents Environment Society Incorporated (RRES). Mike Hughes, a spokesman for the Society said members were drawn from all walks of life and had lived in the South Wairarapa for varying lengths of time. “What brings us together is the desire to maintain and enhance our environment and way of life.” Pollution of the, land, air and water are of particular concern to members, as is noise pollution.
The RRES is very concerned about the lack of noise pollution protection for rural residents in the South Wairarapa. According to the South Wairarapa District Council there is nothing to stop a gun club being located next door to rural properties. Rural residents have no protection from the noise created by a gun club shooting every day of the week, weekends and public holidays.
The Society is currently working with the South Wairarapa District Council and the Regional Council on the threat to the Tauherenikau environment posed by the gun club planned for Moroa Road. The site is less than a kilometre from the Tauherenikau community so noise pollution is a major concern. Residents living within a radius of about 4km of the proposed site will hear the gunfire clearly.
Contamination of the land by the lead from lead pellets and the possibility of it getting into the water system are also of concern. Most of the surrounding homes are on bore water. Mike says “clay target shooting clubs pollute the land with tonnes of lead in a very short period of time. The Wairarapa Gun Club’s previous site, in Carterton, is now officially designated as a contaminated site.”
The RRES is not opposed to gun clubs, but questions the wisdom of one being located so close to a rural community and on prime agricultural land. Residents were not consulted about the location of the club.
RRES disagrees with the Council’s interpretation of the Wairarapa Combined District Plan that a gun club is normal “shooting” associated with primary production and is therefore exempt from noise control. Council should be able to find the gun club a suitable site on land which has no agricultural value and is well away from residents.
If you are interested in maintaining and improving the rural environment of the South Wairarapa and in joining the Society, then please contact us at: ruralresidents@hotmail.com