Coastal access a Far North District Council priority

A $4million fund for the purchase of coastal land during the next five years has been set up by the Far North District Council to improve public access to the coast.


The council is also strengthening its coastal access resource consent conditions as part of its multi-pronged effort to make the district’s beaches more accessible for everyone.


Mayor Wayne Brown says coastal access is a priority for the council, which is launching a “full on assault” to counter the effects of increasing coastal development, which is steadily eroding general public access to the sea.


“We want to make sure there is public access to the beaches and the coast when new coastal subdivisions are implemented,” he said. “People have told us this is what they want and we need to move now to set up resource consent criteria that will make it easier to provide for things like access roads, walkways, coastal reserves and esplanade strips.


“Public demand for access to the coast is increasing as residential development and population growth continues to rise in the district and we must meet this growing need for good quality public access to the Far North coast.”


The council has this month adopted standard criteria that will make the process of coastal land acquisition easier and more consistent to implement as part of coastal subdivision. It is expected they will lead to the purchase of more coastal reserve and esplanade areas in the future.


The criteria are seen as a short term solution that will be complemented by the development of the council’s Open Space and Coastal Access strategy to be completed later this year.


This long term plan for where, when and how parks, reserves and other public spaces and public access to the coast will be managed by the council will be implemented through a number of processes including a plan change to the District Plan, which will further boost the council’s efforts to meet the public demand for coastal land for recreational purposes.


Footnote: Consultation on both the council’s Open Space and Coastal Access strategy and regional Recreation Plans concludes during the week beginning Monday, March 31 with community workshops from 5.45pm to 8pm at: Mangonui Hall on the Monday; Kaitaia Community Centre on Tuesday April 1; Ahipara Rugby Club on Wednesday April 2; and Whatuwhiwhi Hall on Thursday April 3.


Iwi Māori are also invited to request individual workshops with Council staff during the consultation period which concludes on 03 April 2008.


The workshops will enable people to talk in small groups about what they think the council should best do, with limited resources, to gain access to the coast; meet current and future community needs for public land for sports, picnics, walking and other recreational activities and community facilities; and set aside land for the protection of natural areas, bush and wildlife.