Coastal access

8.3 Maintaining and enhancing public access to and along the coastal environment
Background to the issue
The Taranaki coastal environment offers an extensive and important recreational resource for fishing, diving, swimming, surfing, windsurfing, walking and boating. The coastal environment is also valued for its amenity, historic and scenic values and for the cultural and spiritual values and customary uses by tangata whenua.

Public access to and along the coastal marine area allows for the use and enjoyment of the coastal marine area by New Zealanders. Public access to the coast is often provided for by way of public roads, esplanade reserves, esplanade strips or by access strips where formal (legal) rights of access have been negotiated with the landowner. Where land is in private ownership, access is by agreement with the landowner.

Generally, there is very good public access to most parts of the coast in Taranaki. Taranaki, with its low overall population numbers and exposed coastline, has relatively few development pressures threatening amenity and natural values compared with other regions (Taranaki Regional Council: 'Inventory of Coastal Areas of Local or Regional Significance in the Taranaki Region - Summary and Discussion', 2004). However, along some parts of the coast, public access to the coast may be difficult or disjointed due to topography, a lack of formal access, or poorly defined public access. In other places, public access may be constrained by developments and subdivisions adjacent to the coast. Furthermore, there is increasing interest in residential and lifestyle development along some parts of the Taranaki coast. This may exacerbate some of the problems associated with coastal access.

The demand for or need for public access to and along the Taranaki coast varies depending upon locality and particular values attached to that locality. In some cases, it will be appropriate to promote and enhance public use and enjoyment of the coast, particularly where there are synergies with regards to promoting and enhancing public use and enjoyment of the coastal environment with high natural character and amenity values such as Taranaki's valued surfbreaks.

In other cases, it may be more appropriate to restrict public access e.g. to safeguard rare and endangered species and for public health and safety issues. Providing for the maintenance and enhancement of public access to and along the coastal environment also needs to be balanced against the 'private property rights' of land occupiers and appropriate consultation and agreement sought with landowners.

The significant issues in relation to public access to and along the coastal environment are:

Objective

CPA OBJECTIVE 1

To maintain and enhance public access to and along the coastal environment in the Taranaki region, while avoiding remedying or mitigating adverse effects that may arise from that access.

Policy
Maintenance and enhancement of public access to the coast

CPA POLICY 1

Explanation of the policy

The maintenance and enhancement of public access to and along the coastal environment is a matter of national importance under section 6(d) of the Resource Management Act. Policy 1 gives effect to section 6(d) of the Act, and seeks that public access be maintained and enhanced to and along the coastal environment. The Policy further recognises that, in some circumstances, restrictions on public access to or along the coastal marine area may be desirable or may be required as a consequence of a resource use or development, or because of potential adverse effects on public health and safety. In such circumstances, alternative provisions for public access should be made.

Related policies

Policy 1 in Section 6.6 [Public access to rivers and lakes]; Policy 1 in Section 8.1: [Natural character of the coastal environment]; Policies 1 and 2 in Section 9.1 [Indigenous biodiversity]; all policies in Section 10.1 [Outstanding natural features and landscapes]; Section 10.3 [Amenity values]; and Section 16 [Issues of significance to iwi].

Methods of implementation

The Taranaki Regional Council will:

Territorial authorities may wish to consider the following methods:

Principal reasons for adopting the objective, policy and methods

The objective, policy and methods of implementation give effect to the Resource Management Act and establish a policy framework for public access issues to and along the coastal environment. Their aim is to promote public access.

The policy and methods focus on a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory methods to promote public access. Regulation by itself is unlikely to achieve significant progress towards the objective. However, through the resource consents process there will be opportunities to not only consider measures to maintain public access but, in some cases, provide new public access or enhance existing public access.

To overcome some of the fragmented nature of public access and in recognition that both the Taranaki Regional Council and the three territorial authorities have significant roles in promoting public access, a regional walkways and cycleways strategy will be prepared to promote more effective integrated management of this issue. Together these methods are considered appropriate having regard to their efficiency and effectiveness and their benefits and costs.

Back to index

Top