Additional commissioner appointed to Plan Change 29 hearing panel

Nelson City Council has appointed Michael Parsonson, an experienced resource management practitioner and RMA commissioner, as an additional member of the Hearing Panel for Plan Change 29 alongside the Chair Greg Hill, Deputy Mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens and Councillor Trudie Brand.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says an important objective of Plan Change 29 is to ensure better management of hazards, particularly landslides, to which Nelson is vulnerable.

“We are making good progress in fixing the damage from the August 2022 storm but it is important we learn the lessons by not building in unstable areas. This is a complex job as we do not want to be so cautious that we block or add excessive costs to providing new housing for the growing population.
 
“We have received many submissions on these hazard management issues and are appointing an additional commissioner to help hear these and help us get the detail right. Mr Parsonson, a former Director of the International Erosion Control Association (Australasia), has been selected because of his technical and planning expertise in land use across the public and private sectors and his extensive experience as a Hearing Commissioner.
 
“Plan Change 29 is a huge challenge for Council and the community because of its importance and complexity. Council is committed to ensuring a robust process, that submitters’ views are heard and carefully considered and that we deliver major improvements in how our city provides for additional housing and manages hazards.”