Hawke’s Bay is home to outstanding water bodies, and the Regional Council wants people to have their say on a plan change that aims to protect their special features.

Senior Planner Belinda Harper says the water bodies identified in proposed Plan Change 7, also known as the Outstanding Water Bodies Plan Change, have been identified by the Regional Council as being the ‘best of the best’ within the region.

“Each water body has been identified as containing a value which stands out in Hawke’s Bay, such as ecology, natural character, landscapes, geology, cultural, spiritual or recreational,” she says.

“The plan change aims to put a framework in place to give a high level of protection to these outstanding features, now and for future generations.”

It also amends the Hawke’s Bay Regional Resource Management Plan to include a list of the region’s outstanding water bodies.

Proposed Plan Change 7is open for public submissions, which close at 5.00pm on 28 February 2020.

Ms Harper is encouraging people to have their say.

“We want to hear from as many people, iwi and interest groups as possible. We have a six month long submission period so we want to get as much feedback as possible to really reflect the Hawke’s Bay community,” she says.

Submissions can be made on Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s website www.hbrc.govt.nz by searching #OWB. You can download a submission form from the website, or pick one up from the Regional Council’s offices in Waipukurau, Wairoa and Napier.

If you have any questions about Proposed Plan Change 7, please contact a member of the Policy and Planning Team on 06 835 9200 or email OWB@hbrc.govt.nz.

There are 38 outstanding water bodies proposed in the Outstanding Water Bodies Plan Change.

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