Crackdown on beach driving

Wellington’s regional council is getting ready to crack down on vehicles driving on protected beaches.

Many coastal locations dotted around the greater Wellington region are home to protected wildlife habitats or archeological sites, or have mana whenua significance.

This includes popular spots such as Wellington’s south coast, Paraparaumu Beach, Porirua Harbour, Castlepoint lagoon, Riv- ersdale beach and Wellington Harbour.

Vehicle access to these sites is restricted under the Natural Resources Plan that Greater Wellington Regional Council produced in 2015.

But because the plan is only in draft form at the moment as it moves through the appeals process, the council hasn’t taken a hard line on enforcing the rules.

That will soon change. Council spokeswoman Miranda Cross said the regional council would put more resources into notifying people and compliance once the plan was fully operative.

Castlepoint, on Wairarapa’s remote east coast, is one of the areas that will be most affected by this, which has prompted residents to challenge the driving ban at a popular lagoon area east of the seaside township.

On busy days, up to 200 vehicles drive onto the hardpacked sandy area around the lagoon, which is popular with tourists, fisherman and surfers.

The Castlepoint Residents and Ratepayers Association wants an amendment to the council’s plan to allow vehicles recreational access.

Chairman Chris Garland said the one-size-fits-all policy did not recognise Castlepoint’s unique situation, and restricting access to vehicles would have a huge impact on the lifestyle of many people.

‘‘For young kids, in particular, it’s a great place for families to park their car up and walk 50 metres, have a swim and have a game of cricket and so on.’’

‘‘If some scientist can prove to me that driving on the sand ... damaged the ecology, I would be fine with the new rules.’’ Joe Vermeer

The problem was that there are only 32 carparks at that end of the beach, and on a good day the group had counted up 210 cars parked on the sand, Garland said.

‘‘Under the [council] legislation, none of the cars would be allowed down there and there’s no way they’re going to fit anywhere else.

‘‘We totally get there are things that need to be protected around here but vehicles on the hard sand have no impact whatsoever.’’

Garland said iwi had told the group it wanted vehicle access to remain as it always had been.

In a report, the regional council’s senior policy adviser, Tim Blackman, recommended the Castlepoint exception be rejected on both mana whenua and ecological grounds.

‘‘I appreciate that there is not the adequate level of car parks off the beach within Castlepoint township to provide for visitors, particularly during summer months. However, this is a district planning matter.’’

Castlepoint resident Helen Welsh said her family moved there for the surf, and her husband Alastair would find it impossible to walk the kilometrelong lagoon with a surfboard or paddleboard.

‘‘My husband would have to stop doing what he loves. It would jeopardise our way of life.’’

Castlepoint Store owner and avid surfer Joe Vermeer drives on the beach almost everyday and said many surfers would ignore the ban.

‘‘If some scientist can prove to me that driving on the sand below the high-tide mark damaged the ecology, I would be fine with the new rules.’’

Castlepoint Fishing Club secretary Jenny Skeet said its annual competitions attracted large numbers and a ban could destroy the event.