ARC first to support Waitakere Ranges bill

Auckland Regional Council yesterday became the first local authority to declare its support for the controversial draft local bill to protect the Waitakere Ranges and foothills.

Councillors backed the bill proceeding to Parliament after assurances of extensive public consultation and a further opportunity for input into the detailed wording.

A vigorous debate on the draft bill is expected today when it comes before the Waitakere City Council.

It has received 3500 submissions though they show higher support for, than against, legislation from landowners within the proposed national heritage area boundary.

Yesterday, ARC strategy and planning chairman Paul Walbran said both councils' surveys consistently supported the legislation.

Feedback from public meetings had helped shape the bill, which he said had now evolved into its Mark VII version. He and fellow councillor Sandra Coney had campaigned for re-election last October on support for the legislation and believed they had a mandate for their views.

Ms Coney said landowners in the foothills were not unanimously opposed. "There are people who are asking for their properties to be put in the [heritage] area, because they see benefits to their own lifestyle and properties."

ARC chairman Mike Lee said he supported legislation because it would be a guide to reinforce the Resource Management Act and was not adding another layer of bureaucracy to administration.

He regretted, however, that in order to protect the ranges the council was debasing the prestige of a regional park with the new name "national heritage area".

A regional park would now sit below a national heritage area, which was a new concept for the country.

Mr Lee said it would be tragic if the bill triggered a rush of subdivision applications and precipitated the urban sprawl that the bill was trying to prevent.

Waitakere project leader Graeme Campbell said Waitakere and the Rodney District Council had strengthened their District Plans so that subdivision below agreed standards is now a prohibited activity.

"But there will be increased interest in subdivision and Waitakere City Council has additional capacity to cope with that."

Rodney District Council will consider next week whether it wants its part of the ranges to be included in the heritage area boundary.

The district's representative on the ARC, Christine Rose, said Rodney had shown support for inclusion.

But the region's first parks chairman criticised the draft bill as being unnecessary and complex. Judge Arnold Turner, who was parks chairman from 1964-68, said private land owners were entitled to a bill which had simple and specific provisions.

Alternatively, the councils could have pressed for an amendment to the Resource Management Act to achieve protection in clear and simple terms.

Legal protection

The bill defines and establishes the Waitakere Ranges National Heritage Area, including 17,200ha of regional park, within which the legislation will operate.

It identifies heritage features and objectives for management of the area and protection of its features.

It guides consent decisions to be made under the Resource Management Act and district and regional planning documents.