Environment Canterbury invites public feedback on draft Land and Water Regional Plan

Environment Canterbury today invited public comments on the draft Land and Water Regional Plan.

Commissioner Peter Skelton says that when the new plan is in place late next year it will provide key context for delivery of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

“Land and water management are linked as one affects the other,” Professor Skelton said. “The draft plan talks about both water quantity (Canterbury has enough but it’s not always in the right places) and quality - this is the greatest challenge.”

Professor Skelton said there had been big changes since the Natural Resources Regional Plan was notified in 2004, meaning a review was timely.

“The current regime is fragmented, complex and inconsistent. The regional planning framework needs updating and simplifying. The new plan needs to be easy to understand with clear direction on how land and water are to be managed in an integrated way.”

Professor Skelton noted a change of mindset from a “consenting” regime to an “enabling” one. “This means appropriate activities will not be needlessly curtailed, which will help organisations and individuals get on with business, meet environmental targets and help the Canterbury rebuild. It does not mean, however, that the interests of the environment will be compromised.”

The draft plan recognises the need to acknowledge specific local circumstances. The structure is therefore a combination of region-wide objectives, policies and rules, and provision for catchment-specific solutions.

Promulgation of the Land and Water Regional Plan is a Resource Management Act process so is subject to the formal public submission process following notification, which is likely to happen in August this year.

“The current round of public consultation is not required by law but we have chosen to undertake it in the interests of maximum stakeholder participation,” Professor Skelton said. “There is also ongoing consultation with Ngāi Tahu and other stakeholder parties.

“I am very confident that a robust water management planning framework will be in place for Canterbury by October 2013.”

View the latest draft of the Land and Water Regional Plan, a description of how comments can be made and what will happen with them. The current round of public consultation closes on 7 May 2012.