Submitters fear proposal would ‘open floodgates’
Opponents of a proposal to build $300-a-night accommodation in the Fiordland National Park say approving the concession may open the floodgates to more buildings in the park.
In June, the Department of Conservation sought public input after publicly notifying a concession application seeking a lease and licence for a term of 30 years to build and operate accommodation near Knobs Flat, about halfway between Te Anau and Milford Sound.
The application, made by Path New Zealand Ltd, has drawn 153 submissions from the public, of which 142 submissions are against granting the application and 11 supporting it.
Director Abbe Hutchins, earlier this year, said feasibility studies had been completed and there was definitely a market in the region for the proposed accommodation.
The target market would be people looking for an authentic experience of New Zealand’s nature but may not have the time to do longer tramps, or prefer private accommodation.
The submissions, with names redacted, were released yesterday under the Official Information Act.
A consistent theme was that the proposal went against national park policy and the Fiordland National Park Management Plan and the approval of the concession would set a precedent.
One submitter said they opposed the application because it was taking away the fundamental purpose of the national parks, which was to conserve them in their natural state where the public had the right of entry.
‘‘I do not want this fundamental legal right to be supplanted by the interests of private individuals and companies.’’
Another submitter said it was appropriating public resources for private benefit.
The submitters who supported the application highlighted the fact there was limited accommodation in the area and that allowing the proposal could go some way towards alleviating pressure.
‘‘The desperate need for accommodation and services would be addressed by this proposal while remaining sensitive to this environment.’’
Another submitter, who said they had a young family, welcomed the proposal, saying it offered an accessible option for those with young children.
‘‘The needs of young children and the impact on other users make it very difficult to accommodate in the DOC huts.’’
On August 7, a hearing was held in Te Anau where 11 people spoke to submissions they made, all of which were against.
The hearings panel was made up of DOC staff members Mark Townsend, Donna Shepard, Lisa Wheeler and Wendy Newton and Southland Conservation board chairman John Whitehead.
The purpose of the panel was to summarise the submissions and report back to the decision maker, who would be Southern South Island operations manager Aaron Fleming.