The Waikawa Bay Plan Change

The Plan Change proposes:
- Extension of the Marina Zone to include a new area to the north of the existing Waikawa Marina Trust area.
- Creation of specific Moorings Management Areas to resolve the adjourned ‘bulk’ swing mooring consent application for existing moorings within the inner part of Waikawa Bay.

A Plan Change is a public process, similar to a resource consent process. We expect that Council will publicly notify the plan change around May / June, and call for public submissions on the proposal ahead of a public hearing. Any decision from that hearing can be appealed to the Environment Court.

1. Addition of North West Marina Zone Area and Review of Zoning Provisions

This would provide future planned space for two possible marina extensions, each of around 250 berths, in the proposed North West Marina Zone area, and the existing North East Marina Zone area. Refinements would be made to Marina Zone provisions to better enable consenting of marina activities, and promote sustainable marina expansion within the Marina Zone.

- There is immediate demand for one 250-berth extension.
- Forecasts anticipate a second extension being required in the future, maybe 20 years plus, depending on economic growth and recreational trends.
- In response to feedback from stakeholders, development of a North West extension (along the coast of the Snout, to the north of the Trust berths) would happen first – provided planning permissions are able to be gained.

Within the Marina Zone, we would still need to obtain comprehensive resource consents to develop and operate any extension to the marina. We will progress a resource consent application for development of one extension (preferably the North West) contingent upon the results of the Plan Change process.

2. Mooring Management Areas The Plan Change would establish Moorings Management Areas within the inner part of Waikawa Bay, sufficient to accommodate all moorings party to the ‘bulk’ Waikawa mooring application. Instead of having to obtain resource consent, each mooring would be licensed through a Council bylaw mechanism. Council’s ‘Moorings Manager’ would manage the moorings in accordance with a Management Plan. Mooring Licences would be transferable, so that moorings could still be sold as they are now. Council has contracted a Moorings Facilitator who is now working through these proposals with each individual mooring applicant. Outside of Moorings Management Areas, resource consent would be required to obtain a new mooring location. While the proposal would ease the path for existing mooring consents to be renewed, and for owners of adjacent coastal land to get new moorings, for others it would be more difficult to obtain new mooring sites. We very much acknowledge and appreciate the excellent work that Marlborough Berth and Mooring Association have done over the last eighteen months to get us to this point. The relationship that has been built between MBMA and Port Marlborough through this process is a huge asset for all of us as we move forward.

Existing situation assuming currently proposed and consented moorings were all occupied. Proposed Moorings Management Areas (all moorings shown as occupied).

3. Other Aspects of the Plan Change

The layouts, illustrated above, also provide for:
- A special area for mooring of Waka and waka-ama adjacent to Arapawa Maori Rowing Club.
- Increased recreational amenity at the shoreline, as moorings are sited further from shore.
- Maintenance of a clear-water strip through the centre of the bay, supporting navigational safety and visual amenity.

Landside Development – Waikawa Marine Support Area

While not directly part of the Plan Change process, we are also reviewing our landslide marine support precinct at Waikawa. We appreciate the strong group of businesses who provide maintenance and other services at Waikawa Marina, and are committed to providing an environment where Waikawa operators are able to further develop their businesses over time.

The area currently provided for these activities is working close to capacity and additional marina berth development will further increase demand for space. Planning is underway to deliver an expanded land area for marine services with the ultimate vision of a more efficient, integrated maintenance area that provides a comprehensive range of marine services to berth holders and visiting boat owners.

The expanded marine services precinct would include existing maintenance yards and extend into the block of land west of Waikawa Boating Club, presently used for overflow trailer parking. Plans include an additional independent hardstand area and review of haul- out arrangements and capacity. Initial physical works are expected to be underway around mid-year.