Comment wanted on Trails Plan Change

A proposed boost for the implementation of trails throughout the Queenstown Lakes District is the subject of a Plan Change discussion document, now available for comment.


“The council initiated the Trails Plan Change in May this year as a result of concerns raised by organisations having difficulty negotiating public access routes through the rural areas,” QLDC policy planner Daniel Wells said.


The difficulty experienced by the Gibbston Community Association and the Wakatipu Trails Trust arose because of the current District Plan provisions.


If a trail is managed by either the Department of Conservation or QLDC, and is used by the public, it becomes a ‘public place’ under the District Plan.


“The difficulty comes because the Plan provisions require that any future subdivision or development must be assessed in terms of its visibility from any public place,” Mr Wells said.


The result was that landowners were more reluctant to gift access routes because it could later affect their ability to develop land.


The purpose of the proposed Plan Change was to remove impediments to the provision of walkways, particularly in the rural area.


The proposed Plan Change also needed to ensure that the current provisions protecting rural landscapes were not weakened.


“Providing trails throughout the district is of high importance to our community, something illustrated in all of the community plans,” Mr Wells said.


A discussion document on the proposed Trails Plan Change was available for public comment through until 16 November, 2007.


“Once comments have been received the Plan Change will be considered by the council in December. If adopted for notification, the Plan Change will then be open to public submission,” Mr Wells said.


The Trails Plan Change discussion document was available at the Queenstown or Wanaka Council offices and on the council website www.qldc.govt.nz