Defence Force pays $1 for road after access concerns
An unformed paper road covering 78.3 hectares that runs alongside the Tekapo Military Camp has been sold to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) for $1 over concerns about public access to a live ammunition training site.
The Mackenzie District Council voted unanimously to close the road and transfer ownership to the NZDF at its final meeting of 2020.
The proposal said ‘‘the section of closed road has historically been used by NZDF, with a temporary closure process undertaken each year’’.
‘‘The site transects NZDF land, which has historically led to safety concerns surrounding the NZDF activities, which includes live fire during training exercises.
‘‘The location of the road means that NZDF must manage a number of health and safety risks when carrying out training activities.
‘‘These include risks to public safety as the NZDF currently has limited ability to control people moving onto the exercise area as it is public road and they have the right to be there.’’
The NZDF gave the council $1 for the land, and agreed to pay any costs associated with the road-stopping process.
Mackenzie mayor Graham Smith, when asking whether the land had monetary value to the council, was told by planning manager Aaron Hakkaart that ‘‘everything has a monetary value but from my understanding it provides no strategic asset’’.
The land, which is not directly accessible from a formed road, has been used by the Department of Conservation to access conservation land.
DOC has agreed to support the road closure on the condition that the NZDF provide alternative public access to conservation land.
The New Zealand Walking Access Commission was also consulted with its regional field adviser Geoff Holgate saying ‘‘normally the commission encourages the retention of unformed legal roads in order to preserve access options for the future’’.
‘‘However, given the particular circumstances of this application, and that easements for walking access will be created to enable public access to public conservation land in the vicinity, the commission sees no need to be further involved in this proposal.’’