Plan-change work goes on
Tasman District Council will push on with the development of a draft Takaka freshwater plan change package without waiting for the conclusion of the Water Conservation Order process for Te Waikoropupu¯ Springs in Golden Bay.
Past Water Conservation Order (WCO) processes for the Motueka and Buller rivers took about 14 years from their original notification to gazetting. The WCO process for the springs, the Arthur Marble Aquifer and associated water bodies has been under way for almost three years with the matter now before the Environment Court.
Councillor Kit Maling on Thursday moved a resolution instructing staff to progress the development of a draft Takaka freshwater plan change package because the WCO process was likely to take ‘‘a number of years’’.
WCO processes for the Motueka and Buller rivers, which includes the Gowan River tributary, ‘‘took over 10 years’’. ‘‘We can’t wait that length of time,’’ Maling said referring to the WCO for the springs. ‘‘So we need to progress it [draft plan change].’’
The draft Takaka freshwater plan change package is to be based on recommendations made by the long-running Takaka Freshwater and Land Advisory Group (FLAG). Those 34 recommendations, which were presented to the council in mid-2019, include a range of protections for the springs.
A report by Manawhenua Ki Mohua, an iwi-mandated organisation representing Nga¯ ti Tama, Nga¯ ti Ra¯ rua and Te A¯ tiawa in Golden Bay, was presented to the council along with the FLAG document.
Maling thanked the FLAG for putting in ‘‘four or five years of pretty arduous work, unpaid’’.
Golden Bay ward councillor Chris Hill, who had an iwiappointed role with the FLAG, said she also believed it was important to acknowledge the work of the group. ‘‘They had to distil down a wad of really technical information and so it wasn’t an easy task at all,’’ Hill said. ‘‘I admire the kaha that that work was undertaken with.’’
There was concern among some members of the community the council was going to ‘‘jump the gun in terms of coming out with a draft plan change before the result of the WCO process is known’’.
‘‘I recommend that we just make very clear to our communities what the process is,’’ Hill said.
Fellow Golden Bay councillor Celia Butler said clear communication was going to be important ‘‘but it may not make that much difference ... it seems to have a life of its own, but we just have to keep on’’.
‘‘I want to see the draft plan change progress,’’ Butler said.
It is anticipated the draft Takaka freshwater plan change package will be completed later this year.
Natural resources policy team leader Lisa McGlinchey told councillors, they would have further opportunity to discuss and decide on the scope and content of the draft plan change ‘‘as we progress and staff will be coming back with further information’’.
‘‘I am also anticipating that we will consult on a draft to provide further opportunity for the public to have input before we finalise a proposed version for notification,’’ McGlinchey said.
Maling said it was important to consult early on the draft plan change before it was finalised ‘‘because there was such a divergence of opinion out there’’.