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Auckland Council will draft a new bylaw which aims to boost the number of sites available for freedom camping and at the same time minimise their negative effects.
Councillor Linda Cooper, chair of Auckland Council’s Regulatory Committee, says the bylaw will seek to balance the number of freedom campsites with demand.
“We know that if there are only a few sites where freedom camping is allowed, these areas get overcrowded, and more problems occur,” she says.
“We hope that by allowing freedom camping at more sites, overcrowding will decrease, and it will also encourage tourists to enjoy some other lesser-known areas of Auckland.”
At the same time, Ms Cooper says Council is acutely aware of the need to safeguard local areas and communities where freedom camping is unsuitable.
Earlier this year, Council staff undertook site assessments and held community and local board workshops to understand which areas need to be protected. Council initially hoped that a new bylaw could be in place for Summer 2018/19. However, due to the large amount of feedback from local boards, and further advice needed on the legal implications of the Reserves Act, it now considers this to be unrealistic.
However, Council staff plan to present a draft bylaw to the Regulatory Committee later this year. The bylaw will then go out for public consultation.
