27 Jul 09
The New Plymouth District Council has approved a policy aimed at protecting the district’s unique geodiversity, by restricting new construction that can be seen from any beach.
Some corrections made to this item 12th September 2009. See separate item.
In June the New Plymouth District Council approved a new policy
aimed at protecting the view shafts that make the area unique.
The Council has now extended the Coastal Buffer Zone along the
entire coastline from the Stony River to Mokau. The Coastal Buffer
Zone is at least 300 metres wide along the entire coast.
Under the new policy any new sub-division or life-style block
will have to be attached to an existing community and no new
building within the coastal buffer zone will be permitted to be
visible from the foreshore. This policy is totally in line with the
New Zealand Coastal Protection Statement.
The Policy is now undergoing final legal checking before being
placed out for final public consultation. Implementation is planned
for January/February 2010.
The NPDC recognises that the District's geodiversity is unique
and provides outstanding views from the coast to "The Mountain that
Lives by The Sea". To maintain this uniqueness the views must be
protected.
Big thanks must go to Councillor John [Horse] McLeod and his
supporters on the Council who have taken another pro-active step in
the protection of our natural heritage.
Now what we need is for other New Zealand Districts such as
those in Northland, Bay of Plenty and South Taranaki to realise
that permitting hectares of residential dwellings along the
coastline will ultimately result in the destruction of the natural
values of their districts.