My Account
Auckland Council received thousands of public submissions on its draft Regional Parks Management Plan – the largest amount of feedback came from the Rodney and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board areas.
The draft plan provides a policy framework to manage the use, protection and development of 28 regional parks, including Shakespear and Wenderholm, over the next 10 years. Among its focus areas are the increasing involvement of mana whenua, climate change, biodiversity protection and adding to visitor experiences.
The public feedback was discussed by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board at a workshop and business meeting last month, as it put together its own formal submission.
Shakespear Regional Park
Issues raised by residents and local organisations in relation to Shakespear Regional Park included kite surfing. Some are opposed to allowing the sport because of the effect on birds that nest on the shore, while kite surfing proponents describe Te Haruhi Bay as an ideal location for the sport, rare in the area. A suggested compromise put forward by Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society are some tight rules around when and where kite surfing can take place.
The draft plan proposes to review farming in regional parks, and some submitters suggested farming should be removed from Shakespear and the pasture converted to native forest. Issues raised related to farming include runoff into waterways. However, Council’s Regional Parks manager Scott De Silva, says Council is not proposing to remove farming from parks but to look at how best to manage it. “This includes how we can ensure sustainability, and manage farming in an efficient and cost-effective manner,” De Silva says. “Climate change and emissions reduction are also key focuses of the review.”
Several submitters supported the expansion of recreational activities in the park, including more campervan parking spots. Others strongly supported the proposal to investigate options for more dog access to some parts of the park.
Wenderholm Regional Park
At Wenderholm there was support for allowing overnight parking by self-contained campervans, providing better camping facilities and more mana whenua involvement.
Submitters also sought reinstatement of the boat ramp and greater emphasis on enforcing dog bylaws. The Auckland Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club requested that those sports be allowed at Wenderholm.
One large form submission (relating to all the parks) opposed any co-governance proposals and also rejected integration of regional parks into the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
This month the hearings panel will hear from representatives of local boards and submitters. The panel’s recommendations will go to Council’s Parks Arts Community and Events Committee on August 11. The aim is to have the final plan adopted by Council on September 22.
All submissions can be seen at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/have-your-say/hearings …
SOSSI feedback – The submission made by the Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society (SOSSI) included a preference for a total ban on fishing and shellfish collecting on the park’s shoreline, including a year-round ban on set netting. The organisation objects to any provision of mountain biking routes within the park and wants kite surfing banned during the dotterel nesting season at Te Haruhi Bay. SOSSI’s submission also said it believed it would be a backward step to bring the park under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park umbrella. SOSSI chair Stephen Lyttelton told the paper that SOSSI supports Council’s long term plan for the park to gradually retire grazing land and increase the area of native bush.
