Media Release
12 December 2014

HBRC welcomes High Court decision on Tukituki Catchment

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chairman Fenton Wilson says he welcomes the timely judgement on the High Court appeals on Tukituki Plan Change 6 and the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme.

The High Court has released its decision today, which refers one specific provision in Tukituki Plan Change 6 back to the Board of Inquiry for consideration.

Fenton Wilson says the board is not being asked to rehear the case, or even reconsider the entire decision, but rather to seek comments from all the parties on recrafting the rule in question to make it more effective. Council welcomes the opportunity to take part in that process to ensure its environmental goals are met.

He is pleased the decision has maintained the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme consents, which were granted by the board earlier this year. One condition of the Scheme, linked to the Change 6 rule at issue, would also be reconsidered by the Board.

The judge has directed the board to apply the most recent version of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management when reconsidering the rule in question.

Given the matter is being referred back to the Board of Inquiry no further comment will be made out of respect for the ongoing judicial process.

ENDS

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