Fears held for Wairarapa coast

A WARNING has been issued that the character of the Wairarapa coast could be ruined by badly-planned or poorly-done earthworks.
Scott Ihaka, policy adviser for the Greater Wellington Regional Council, wants the region's district councils to set new rules to help protect the coastal environment.
On behalf of the regional council he is calling for the new combined district plan to include set-back rules from waterways.
On the coast this would be a minimum of 50m from the coastal marine area and elsewhere at least 20m from waterways classified as "significant" or 5m from any other waterway.
Mr Ihaka said by earthworks the regional council is referring to the removal, relocation or depositing of earth whether it be soil, clay or rock from either natural or man-made formations.
He said the Wairarapa Coastal Strategy had identified distinctive features and earthworks had to be carefully planned and designed to avoid unnecessary impact on the coastal landscape.
"The district plan should include a set-back rule for earth- works in the coastal marine environment."
Mr Ihaka said sedimentation of streams and rivers can impact on aquatic life, and also make the water unsuitable for irrigation.
The regional council has been working with city and district councils to stop, or reduce, silt entering waterways from large earthworks, including subdivisions, and also from smaller sites.
In industrial areas the regional council believes a compulsory minimum set-back of 5m for buildings from waterways would allow the watercourses natural form to be preserved, give extra protection against floods and allow room for planting trees and shrubs.
"That would provide natural bank protection and protect waterways from increased sunlight and rising water temperatures," he said.
One of the main reasons for poor water quality is stormwater run-off from roads and roofs.
Mr Ihaka said a 5m set-back rule would go some way towards mitigating the effects of contaminants getting into waterways directly from stormwater run-off.
Combined district plan commissioners have also received submissions regarding watercourses from the Department of Conservation.
These included comments on town streams that are often under pressure to be modified, piped or straightened for housing development or in-filling.
Once a stream is piped the "in-situ habitat values" are lost, usually permanently and long sections of piped stream can act as a barrier for migrating fish.