Elite land to be off-limits for housing

Councils will be required to protect New Zealand’s best foodgrowing soils under a new government policy.

Pukekohe grower Bharat Bhana welcomed the move, saying something needed to be done to stop the most productive land being converted into buildings before it was too late.

‘‘We’re only caretakers and we’ve got to leave some of this beautiful land we’ve got to generations that come after us.’’

Horticulture NZ and Federated Farmers have been pushing for a mechanism to stop urban subdivisions and lifestyle blocks swallowing up prime growing land. Agriculture Minister Damien O’connor and Environment Minister David Parker have announced a National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land will be introduced, after a discussion period of two months.

About 14 per cent of New Zealand’s land is categorised as highly productive.

Since 1998, 5800 new lifestyle blocks per year have been given the green light by councils.

Bhana said that in recent years up to 150 hectares had been lost in Pukekohe to housing and light industrial. ‘‘Once you’ve got the public surrounding you, your right to farm is eroded, so even if you have elite soils you can’t use them,’’ Bhana said.

Parker said the national policy statement would be nationwide, and would stand alongside the new National Policy Statement for Urban Development, which will be released soon.

‘‘The national policy statement … proposes that councils be required to ensure there is enough highly productive land available for primary production now and in the future, and protect it from inappropriate subdivision, use and development.

‘‘Councils would need to do a full analysis of alternatives, benefits and costs when considering whether urban expansion should be located on highly productive land used for growing food and vegetables and for other primary production.’’

Hortnz natural resources and environment manager Michelle Sands said that with good planning and buffer zones, houses and horticulture could co-exist. This was important because growers could make best use of available land, quickly get fresh produce to market and have access to workers. Keeping the best soils for producing food was also important in the transition to a low emissions economy, because countries needed to adapt to climate change in a manner that did not threaten food production.

Sands said that at the moment poor rules were preventing new market gardens being established to replace land lost to housing around Auckland.