Rodney backs range bill

Rodney District Council will back the local bill to establish a Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area.

The council's 8-5 vote on support yesterday means the bill can now be presented to Parliament.

Waitakere City, which shares a boundary in the ranges with Rodney, gave its support on Tuesday and the Auckland Regional Council did so in late February.

Land in the Rodney part of the heritage area features Te Henga Wetland and is mainly owned by the Department of Conservation, Auckland Conservation Board and the Forest and Bird Protection Society. But the wetland's other owners were concerned about the bill applying to other parts of their farms and interfering with use of that land.

Deputy Mayor David Steele said he could not support the bill unless private landowners agreed to be subject to it.

Councillor Greville Walker said he believed the council should have extended the area for protection into the foothills but was grateful that the area chosen linked with the ranges on the Waitakere City side.