NIMBYs

The Herald reports:

Residents of well-heeled Auckland suburbs are bristling at plans for new Special Housing Areas in their backyards.

Fourteen new SHAs providing more than 4500 new homes across Auckland were announced yesterday. This latest tranche will bring the total number of SHAs in Auckland to 120, with a combined potential yield of more than 52,000 new homes.

Herne Bay resident Kate Stanton has lived opposite the site of one of the new areas – the Gables pub in Kelmarna Ave – for 35 years. The 0.23ha site has been earmarked for a block of 70 apartments.

Ms Stanton said she feared existing infrastructure, such as sewer and storm-water drains, would not cope with that many extra households.

Really? Is there any reason to think they can’t handle 70 more people? Is this concern based on any actual evidence? Or just an excuse to argue against any development in their neighbourhood?