Veteran Christchurch property developer Antony Gough has launched a strong critique of the Christchurch City Council, warning that skyrocketing rates are threatening the viability of central city businesses.

Speaking at a Council meeting on Thursday, Gough said commercial ratepayers were bearing the brunt of successive rates hikes that far exceed inflation.

“My biggest worry is that we’ve got rates increases every year that are three or four times the current run of inflation,” he told councillors.

“Over the last 10 years, you’ve done a 100% rates increase. My rates in my bars do not go up 100% in 10 years — they go up 2.5% every year.”

Gough said the Council’s draft Long Term Plan, which proposes an 8.2% rates increase, was unrealistic and harmful to the business community.

“I implore you to actually seriously look to your budget and say, if you want to do more than 2% inflation — 2.2% at the moment — then you need to take something off your budget.”

“There’s no point just saying, ‘Oh, it’s nice to have. Let’s put another hump on Deans Avenue for an extraordinary amount of money and put it on one side of the road.’ That is just loopy.”

“In the real world, we have to look at our budget hard. We can’t just put another 8% onto my rates — it doesn’t work like that. And I think people here don’t understand that.”

He said “You’re killing our businesses. If we did a 100% increase on our food and beverage, nobody would buy it. So something’s squeezing in the middle. And the people who you’re squeezing are actually the businesses.”

Gough also issued a political warning to councillors: “Businesses, although they don’t vote in the same city, they do vote in their homes, and they will vote those people who want to put their hand up and say, ‘Oh, let’s do another 8.2% increase.’ I’m sorry, you’ll find I’ll vote against you. So please think seriously about reducing your increase in rates.”

Turning to transport policy, Gough was highly critical of what he described as anti-car planning decisions and unrealistic expectations around cycling.

“I heard a previous gentleman saying, ‘I implore you to just force cars out of the town.’ I’m sorry. I’m 76 years of age. I’m not going to ride a bicycle.”

“There are people like me who actually contribute enormously to the city, and the assumption that we’re all going to ride bikes is totally loopy. I’m sorry, but 95% of people actually drive cars in the central city.”

He also raised concerns about the city’s high water table and the impracticality of underground infrastructure.

“We’ve actually got a high water table here — unlike Paris and unlike London. To go underground, it costs a huge amount of money because you’re in water. I was going to put in my own underground car park and quickly lost interest when I found out what the water table was. That’s the reality.”

He criticised new traffic light systems that include turning restrictions even when roads are clear. “On the corner of Hereford Street and Cambridge Terrace, there’s a don’t-turn-left arrow. Everyone waits — there’s no cyclists coming, there’s no pedestrians. If there are, I don’t have a problem with the red arrow. But I do have a problem with it just automatically turning there.”

“It’s either incompetence or a deliberate effort by someone in Council to actually stop cars turning. Is it deliberate? That needs to be spoken to.”

Responding to Gough, Council staff confirmed that the red arrow issues were under review by the transport team.

Gough also blasted what he described as “poorly executed road upgrades,” saying they were damaging local business. He pointed to St Asaph Street, Manchester Street, Park Terrace and Gloucester Street as examples of flawed transport planning.

“You’ve killed the businesses there. Thank you very much. That helped me a lot with The Terrace, but it didn’t help those businesses.”

“Park Terrace used to be dual-way. What have you done? You put a cycle lane down one side. There’s a huge wide riverbank on the other side. You could’ve put it there — but no. You cut out a lane, and where you don’t cut it out, you paint white lines to make sure we can’t have car parking along there. That is just loopy.”

“Manchester Street … it’s a bus lane. Don’t dare go down there, because it’s horrible.”

“Gloucester Street — you’ve just put some new temporary installation there. I know that’ll be permanent. Again, you’ve destroyed Gloucester Street. You didn’t want to put any car parks for real people like me along Gloucester Street for the new Court Theatre or the other facilities there.”

“I’ll be honest — I’m not riding a bike and I’m unlikely to take a bus. That will actually dissuade us from going to those places.”

Deputy Mayor Pauline Cotter interrupted Gough saying “thank you you’re time is up,  so five minutes of a big bleat to us, and we heard what you’re saying –  thank you.”