A stoush is brewing in the beautiful Bay of Plenty between residents and the local council over a state-of-the-art ablutions block.
In the fight against mess-making freedom campers the Western Bay of Plenty Council may have accidentally made the wrong move, according to some.
The cause of the discontent is a soon-to-arrive transportable "KiwiCamp" ablutions block outside the Waihi Beach Community Centre.
"They're doing it and that's it, like it or lump it," KiwiCamp detractor Niria Gerbrich told Seven Sharp.
There is a KiwiCamp ablutions block already up and running in Blenheim that offers freedom campers a pay as you go range of facilities using smart meters.
"A one stop shop is the idea, all the basic human needs, do their washing have a shower, sort their stuff out and move on, like a service centre," KiwiCamp's Chris Wagner says.
The Western Bay of Plenty District Council owns the carpark it wants to put the ablutions block in, but the community centre it was built for belongs to the residents.
Those that use the community centre say the council failed to consult them on the plan to install the $200,000 building.
Gary Allis from the council says they would normally consult with locals on the matter but the tight timeframe to qualify for Government funding meant they had to make a quick decision.
Residents now plan on using their cars to blockade where the ablutions block is planned to go, saying the KiwiCamp block will undercut local holiday parks by offering cheaper rates for facilities.
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