Coastal land development
Best practice examples
Natural character of the coastal environment
Policy 7.6 of the Proposed Waitakere City District Plan promotes restoration and rehabilitation of natural character of coastal areas when appropriate, giving effect to Policy 1.1.5 of the NZCPS 1994. This policy is supported by Restoration Natural Area rules and a Coastal Natural Area overlay in the plan. This approach is considered best practice as it provides clear direction on when restoration and rehabilitation of natural character should be considered.
Section C.7.2 of the Kapiti Coast District Plan provides good examples of policies to manage impacts of rural development on the natural character of the coastal environment. For example, policy 12 protects natural character by ensuring buildings are not obtrusively visible from the beach. This policy was upheld by the Environment Court in an appeal on a resource consent for coastal subdivision (Manning vs. Kapiti Coast District Council [1997] W072/97)
Policy 3.1.4 in Environment Waikato 's Regional Coastal Plan refers to what can be considered 'inappropriate ' use and development in the coastal marine area. This policy is considered good practice as it provides direction on what is considered inappropriate in the coastal marine area, including applications that contribute to the cumulative effects of sprawling use and development on natural character.
Policy 4.2.3(b) of the Bay of Plenty Regional Coastal Environment Plan provides a best practice example of how to provide direction on the relative weight to be attached to the protection of natural character in particular localities within the wider coastal environment. This includes reference to identified areas of significant conservation and cultural value. The plan also makes specific reference to management guidelines for natural features and landforms prepared for different coastal areas (eg, harbours, headlands etc) which are attached as an appendix to the plan.
Coastal landscapes
The subdivision section (Part 8) of the Auckland City Proposed District Plan - Hauraki Gulf Islands Section 2006 is a good example of objectives, policies, rules and assessment criteria to manage the impact of subdivision on coastal landscapes. The Plan includes a range of criteria to consider for different types of subdivision, including site design and layout, utility services, access and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment. The provisions provide clear direction for decision-makers and applicants and link directly to specific land unit provisions. This provides a robust system for assessing subdivision proposals and to manage landscape qualities.
The Fifth Schedule of the Environment Bay of Plenty Regional Coastal Environment Plan provides a best practice example of management guidelines and assessment criteria for different coastal landforms in the region, such as beaches, headlands and bays. The guidelines recognise the different sensitivities of each landform and provide clear guidance to assess the potential impacts of coastal development applications on these landforms.
Objective 12.2.3 and policy 12.2.4 of the Hastings District Plan provide a good example of provisions that identify and protect outstanding landscapes from development. These provisions formed part of the Environment Court 's reasons to decline a resource consent application in Gannet Beach Adventures Limited vs. Hastings District Council [2004] W090/04 .
The Coromandel Peninsula Landscape Assessment is a good example of a technical assessment to manage landscape and natural character values of the Coromandel Peninsula. The landscape assessment is considered a good example as it involved the direct input of residents in its development. The report also provides recommendations for the management of the various landscapes and includes some discussion on managing cross-boundary issues. While this methodology is considered good practice, there are still some issues to be resolved over how the values associated with each of the landscape components will be managed. The landscape assessment is currently being peer reviewed and is yet to be incorporated into the district plan.
Christchurch City Council commissioned a Landscape Study for the Banks Peninsula to provide better understanding of the landscape and to inform amendments to the district plan. The study identifies and assesses all of the values of Banks Peninsula 's rural landscapes, and includes a map showing the peninsula divided into four landscape categories - outstanding natural landscapes, coastal natural character landscapes, visual amenity landscapes, and heritage landscapes. The study also incorporated a landscape assessment prepared by tangata whenua. The study has assisted the council with proceedings before the Environment Court in respect of current plan provisions.
For other best practice examples of landscape management see the Landscapes Guidance Note.
Coastal biodiversity
Rules D.1.1.1 and D.1.2.1 of the Kapiti Coast District Plan set out permitted activity standards for native vegetation removal in the Residential Zone. These standards provide a good example of rules to avoid fragmentation of biodiversity corridors, by not permitting removal that is within 20 metres of water bodies or the coastal marine area.
The New Plymouth District Plan identifies and lists 'significant natural areas ' on privately owned land in its district, with some formally protected. The Council has primarily used a non- statutory approach to managing these significant natural areas, in the form of a management strategy, as outlined under Issue 26: Degradation and loss of indigenous vegetation and habitats of indigenous fauna of the New Plymouth District Plan. However, the district plan requires the effects of subdivision proposals on any significant natural areas to be assessed at the time of application for resource consent, and provides for the legal protection of significant natural areas as a matter over which control is reserved (see Rules Res 53-64). Issue 16 of the New Plymouth District Plan also provides an incentive of one extra allotment for landowners of significant natural areas who formally protect the significant natural area through covenants when subdividing.
Horizons Regional Council's Proposed One Plan is a good example of a plan that combines a regional policy statement with regional plan provisions to manage the effects of subdivision, use and development on coastal biodiversity. Schedule E of the Proposed One Plan includes coastal habitats specified as 'rare ', 'threatened ' or 'at-risk ' and throughout the plan there are specific policies and rules to manage the effects of activities on these habitats. These rules generally require setbacks or avoidance of these habitats. The Plan is also considered to be good practice as it focuses on integrated management across mean high water springs.
Community partnership programmes, such as Coast Care Bay of Plenty , are a useful method to protect and enhance the biodiversity of coastal dune habitats. Coast Care Bay of Plenty is run jointly by the regional and district councils and the Department of Conservation and uses local knowledge and enthusiasm to restore the form and function of the dunes in the Bay of Plenty. There are 25 community groups of Coast Care volunteers throughout the Bay of Plenty region, made up of community members who want to protect and manage their coastal environment. The groups advise on priority work areas and get together to plant and protect the dunes.
The Whaingaroa Environment Community Group is an example of a community group that was established by groups and individuals concerned about erosion and other environmental problems in the area around Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour, such as the impact of sedimentation into the harbour on coastal biodiversity. It was originally supported by Environment Waikato and Landcare Research, and is now partially funded by the Ministry for the Environment. The Group coordinates a Catchment project and promotes the adoption of their Catchment Plan that focuses on improving the health of the harbour over a 25-year period.
For other best practice examples of managing biodiversity, see the Indigenous Biodiversity Guidance Note.
Public access
Rule 9.8.3 and 9.8.4 (in chapter 9) of the North Shore City Council District Plan are a good example of comprehensive assessment criteria that can be used to both guide and assess applications to reduce or waive the 20-metre esplanade reserve requirement.
Section 7 of the West Coast Regional Coastal Plan is a good example of clear objectives, policies and rules to manage public access to and along the coastal marine area. The Plan provides clear direction on why access should be provided and enhanced and also when access to the coastal marine area should be restricted. These objectives and policies have accompanying explanations to guide public access management on the coast.
Coastal Environment Objective 2 and supporting Policy 7.4.4 of the Greater Wellington Regional Policy Statement provide a good example of provisions to maintain and enhance public access opportunities to the coastal environment, while also acknowledging that it may be appropriate to restrict access in certain circumstances to protect special values and avoid adverse effects. The provisions provide guidance to decision-makers when considering these matters and address the 'quality ' of existing public access.
Special relationship of tangata whenua with the coastal environment
Greater Wellington Regional Council produced a Resource management issues of significance to iwi authorities in the Wellington region report as a summary of discussions held with iwi authorities on issues of significance, to feed into the preparation of the Proposed Regional Policy Statement. This is a good example of how the special relationship of tangata whenua with natural and physical resources can be identified in council planning processes. The report identifies the high significance attributed by tangata whenua to issues affecting the coastal environment.
The Regional Coastal Plan for Southland identifies the importance of Coastal Statutory Acknowledgements for plan users and resource consent applicants in the very front of the plan (page 3). The Statutory Acknowledgement for Te Mimi o Tu Te Rakiwhanoa is a recorded statement of the cultural, spiritual, historical and traditional association of Ngai Tahu with the Fiordland Coastal Marine Area, and impacts on RMA processes concerning the area.
Section B.1 of the Kapiti Coast District Plan identifies specific matters of concern to tangata whenua as significant resource management issues within the district. The special relationship that tangata whenua have with the coast is articulated within the discussion on coastal issues. Section C.6 contains a number of objectives, supporting policies and methods to address tangata whenua issues within the coastal environment, including water management (Policy 6). The plan provides a robust framework for ensuring that tangata whenua values are considered in decision-making.
Coastal historic heritage
The Auckland Regional Plan: Coastal is a good example of a plan that identifies cultural heritage places of regional and national significance and schedules these for preservation. The non-statutory Cultural Heritage Inventory database can be used to assess potential effects of resource consent applications on historic places.
The heritage schedules and planning maps in Auckland City Council's District Plan - Hauraki Gulf Islands provide a good example of a plan that clearly identifies coastal heritage sites, including information on where they cross into the coastal marine area. Clause 7.5 of the plan identifies that when heritage is located below mean high water springs it is the responsibility of the Auckland Regional Council.
The Southland Coastal Heritage Inventory Project is a good example of a collaborative approach between the Historic Places Trust, Environment Southland, the Department of Conservation's Southland Conservancy, the New Zealand Archaeological Association, the University of Otago and local papatipu runanga to identify important archaeological and historical sites. The aim is to use the Coastal Heritage Inventory to update the sites listed in the regional coastal plan, the Southland District Plan and the Invercargill City Council Plan.
The Whangarei Coastal Management Strategy provides clear actions to manage heritage resources within the coastal environment. The strategy includes a specific section on the management of heritage (Section 4.6 Heritage) and Section 6 District Wide Implementation of the Strategy provides a range of regulatory and non-regulatory methods to manage heritage. Strategies that include a range of clear methods to manage coastal heritage are considered best practice as this increases the likelihood of them being implemented.
For other best practice examples of coastal historic heritage, see the Historic Heritage Guidance Note.
Occupation and associated competition for space
Proposed Plan Change 1 (Moorings and Marinas Management Review) to the Northland Regional Coastal Plan includes good practice provisions to manage the competition of space associated with moorings and marinas. It proposes the development of mooring management plans for each of the approximately 40 identified moorings areas in Northland in an effort to manage the competition for berthing space in the region. These plans, which will sit outside the regional coastal plan, will cover issues including maximum mooring numbers, mooring layouts and shore-based facility requirements such as toilet and sewage pump out facilities, and car parks.
Chapter 9 of the Southland Regional Coastal Plan provides objectives, policies and rules to manage the increasing use and occupation of the coast and reduce potential conflicts between different activities. These are considered a good example because they control the types, frequency and duration of permitted activities in specific parts of the coastal marine area.
The Whangarei Coastal Management Strategy Structure Plans are a good example of how to manage growth and development pressures on coastal land. The structure plans provide specific zones for residential growth and the maintenance of coastal recreation areas. These plans provide for the efficient use of space and help to ensure compatible activities are concentrated in certain areas. While the 20-year structure plans have been developed as non-statutory documents, they may be implemented through future plans or plan changes.
Water quality
Chapter 7 Coastal Water Quality of the Environment Canterbury Regional Coastal Environment Plan includes policies that set up a water class regime for managing discharges into the coastal marine area. The class approach recognises the specific values and vulnerability of various areas of the Canterbury coast. Resource consent applications are assessed to ensure that the outcomes for the water quality class in the location of the proposed discharge are achieved. The plan includes criteria to consider appropriate mixing zones for discharges into the coastal marine area. It also includes provisions to ensure the discharges avoid significant adverse effects on water quality in areas of cultural or spiritual value to tangata whenua. This approach provides a robust framework and clear guidance to decision-makers and applicants.
Section 14.4.1 (Policy 1.9) of the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan provides a good example of provisions to ensure that site-specific characteristics are taken into account when assessing on-site wastewater disposal systems. The Guidelines for New On-Site Wastewater Management Systems have been prepared and are referred to in the plan to provide practitioners with greater certainty in terms of the procedures to be followed for site investigation and assessment.
Auckland Regional Council has prepared a number of technical publications that provide guidance and baseline requirements for discharges. These include stormwater (TP10), on-site wastewater (TP58), and sediment discharges from earthworks (TP90). Training and workshops on the use of the guidelines occurs between the regional and district councils and the technical publications are often referred to in consent conditions. This is considered good practice for information sharing and to promote consistent and integrated management in the region.
NOTE: This guidance note was prepared prior to the NZCPS 2010 taking effect. Care should be exercised in reading and using the information contained within this guidance note.
