Hurunui-Waiau plan change under way

At its meeting yesterday, the Hurunui-Waiau Water Zone Committee unanimously approved an addendum to its Zone Implementation Programme which sets in motion the process to deal with the controversial “10%” issue.

Zone Committee Chair John Faulkner acknowledged the community response to the unintended impact of the Hurunui Waiau River Regional Plan, which placed an unfair onus on dryland farmers without water quality benefit.

“The community told us loud and clear that they wanted this situation changed,” Mr Faulkner said. “They were equally clear that any suggestion of water quality in their precious rivers being compromised was unacceptable.”

Mr Faulkner said the Zone Committee believed it had delivered the right solution for the zone via the addendum. “Our recommendation will now be considered by Environment Canterbury,” he said.

“If the Council approves the changes to the plan, we’re hoping it will notify later this year. After that, under the Resource Management Act processes, the changes will be tested in the public domain via submissions and an independent hearing.”

Background

The addendum appears in the agenda paper for yesterday’s meeting:
https://ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/council-and-committee-meetings/

https://ecan.govt.nz/your-region/plans-strategies-and-bylaws/hurunui-waiau-river-regional-plan/

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