A long-running dispute between Napier City Council and the owners of Mission Estate Winery has been settled out of court.
The dispute began when the council used the Public Works Act to take 1.5 hectares from the winery to realign a road.
The council and Marist Holdings (Greenmeadows) fought a protracted battle over the valuation of the land.
A Land Valuation Tribunal ruling four years ago went Marist Holdings’ way, with the value of compensation assessed at $306,000, almost double the council’s original offer in 2006.
The council took the matter to the High Court, which, in 2012 ruled that the matter should be reheard.
The court advised both parties to engage new valuers.
The council and the winery owners met in July and agreed to settle the matter out of court.
The council’s legal costs since 2006 have been $135,929, exclusive of GST.
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