By Laura Frykberg
It’s been labelled cheesy, tacky and a “copycat”.
Tonight at least one Wellington city councillor is calling for a judicial review into the decision to give the Wellywood sign the go ahead.
The airport, who are putting up the sign, also got a taste of what the public thinks of its decision tonight.
“It’s a horrible idea and they’re not listening to the people of Wellington,” one protester told 3 News.
This evening they were heard; protesters spent an hour circling Wellington Airport’s drop-off route.
More than 100 people were invited to attend the protest on Facebook. The real number, counted by 3 News, was around 40 cars. But still enough engine power to make one heck of a racket.
Among those protesting was a prominent film director, who says the sign makes a mockery of Wellington.
“It’s not appropriate and it doesn’t reflect the innovative cool incredibly unique and resourceful Wellington film industry that I’ve worked in for 43 years,” says Gaylene Preston.
The 3 metre high, 28 metre long Hollywood imitation is to be in place by the Rugby World Cup.
Wellington Airport’s chief executive Steve Fitzgerald says any opposition to it now is wasted.
“The reaction is basically the same as the reaction we had over 12 months ago, when we did pause and ask people for other ideas. We’ve considered those ideas, so there’s nothing to stop us proceeding at this point,” he says.
The city council says the airport wasn’t required to take public submissions because the sign is within the guidelines.
But a former member of the council’s resource management team Andy Foster says the sign is 12 times bigger than the usual requirements.
“It’s not even a case of what the sign says, it’s a case of the size of it. I mean, I couldn’t buy a house of that sort of scale,” he says.
Once the sign is in place the airport has resource consent for five years.
3 News