District plan change relaxed

A contentious Mackenzie District plan change has loosened some of its restrictions for farming activities.

Plan change 13 sought more district council control over development in rural areas. It originally proposed to separate various areas of the Mackenzie Basin into "nodes", which would have limited farming activities.

However, the concept has been dropped after the plan change received several submissions from farmers who argued the proposal was too restrictive.

Mackenzie District Council planner Nathan Hole said the plan change has meant reclassification of the Mackenzie Basin from an "outstanding natural landscape" to "having distinctive and highly valued landscape" which provided more leeway for farming activities.

More than a dozen farmers asked to have extensions on their areas for farm-based activities. Although some were not granted the extensions, none of the submitters had their areas limited.

In spite of this, Mackenzie mayor John O'Neill said he did not feel the changes were overly liberal. "I think anyone who lives in the Mackenzie knows there are some areas which could be considered more outstanding and unique than others.

"It might be too difficult to assess the qualities of the Mackenzie Basin as a whole, so the change in wording allows us to assess the areas on a case by case basis," he said.

"The extensions are within the limits of sustainability. It allows the industry which has already had a positive effect in the region to continue its activities, but it does not allow for excessive development."

Mr O'Neill said the plan's classifying of all non-farming activities in the Mackenzie Basin as discretionary, as well as the reintroduction of lakeside protection areas, was a reasonable compromise.

"It limits the possibility of excessive subdivision and building within lakeside areas by allowing no buildings or extensions within those areas."

He said the plan change's height restriction of 15 metres for farm buildings and 8m for non-farming buildings was another safeguard against intrusive development.

Submissions on the plan change close next month.

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