'West' plan under fire

ARC

West rules: Farmers and many others bordering the Kaipara Harbour have reservations about a ‘‘west coast plan’’ seeking greater protection of coastal values.

Relevant offers

A "west coast plan" seeking greater protection for rural areas and outstanding coastal landscapes in the face of growth pressures, especially around the Kaipara Harbour, has come under fire from farmers' representatives and others.

Federated Farmers wants the Rodney District Council to withdraw its proposed West Coast Rural Policy Area district plan change, variation 132.

The proposal places further restrictions on farm maintenance and development, farmer representatives told the council at a submissions hearing on Wednesday last week. Of 226 submissions, 214 opposed the change.

South Head residents Avis and Matty Fletcher summed up the feeling of many.

"Leave South Kaipara Head alone," they said in their submission.

Many objectors said sufficient regulations existed to control development.

The council says the change is a response to the greater demand for coastal development than in other general rural areas, and provides more controls over building, earthworks, wetland and watercourse modification, and provides greater tree protection.

It says some housing is also inappropriate for such areas.

The variation provides for accessory buildings of 50 square metres or less as permitted activities, but many farmers believe that is insufficient.

John Glasson, of South Kaipara Federated Farmers, said people were trying to make a living in the area and there were concerns whether farmers may be be forced off their land. This is similar to the "viewing corridors"over the Kaipara Harbour proposed back in the 1990s.

Getting resource consent would hold up farm work, he said. The proposal was contrary to economic farming.

"It's better to give rates relief to protect an area," he said.

"Give an incentive for retiring land to get what the council wants."

Federated Farmers Rodney representatives James Colville and Richard Gardner said that while any benefits from the proposed change would go to the public, farmers would wear the cost. Even altering cattle yards would need a consent.

Kaukapakapa ratepayers representative Neville Miller admonished the council for inadequate consultation.

Kaukapakapa could not be called part of the west coast because there was a range of hills between it and the coast, he said. A better system would be to go on the water catchment areas which run to the east, which would leave Kaukapakapa out of the western area, he said.

Keystone Trust representative Noel Lane said the general rural zone offered enough protection already.

The trust is responsible for the largest art and sculpture area in Rodney, on Alan Gibbs' Kaipara farm, off State Highway 16.

Mr Lane said about a million native trees had been planted in the last 20 years – and the change would require consent to remove them. They would have been better off planting exotics.

A Glorit farmer told the council the change "smacks of bureaucracy gone wrong".

"I can put up a post and batten fence but not put a rail on top as it would take it over the 1.8-metre height restriction." He said there was little time to resolve the issue before the super-city formed.

Forestry representatives were also concerned whether resource consent would be needed to fell native trees over three metres tall for forestry maintenance.

Woodhill Forest representatives were concerned whether activities there could continue, with about a million visitors each year needing facilities such as buildings for recreational activities.

A Horticulture New Zealand representative said the present rural zone was adequate. The proposed change would undermine normal rural production, he said. Costs were not adequately addressed, either.

Council staff recommended rejecting any blanket withdrawal of the variation, but of accepting many of the submissions in part.

Further submissions were heard this week and the council says more deliberations may be needed before a final decision is made, which is unlikely before its April 1 meeting.

- © Fairfax NZ News