100s of new cases, as we support access from mountain to sea
ACTIVITY: Handling general access enquiries and case management
In the last year, our operations team has been involved in many cases. These include:
- Establishing a walking access easement overlooking Oneroa Bay in the Bay of Islands, through the Overseas Investment Office consent process. This walkway has been given the name Kotikoti by local iwi.
- Establishing esplanade strips along the Whanganui River and a right of way to access the secured esplanade strips.
- Achieving agreement to grant an easement signed with Watercare for Belmont Rise. The easement allows both cycling and walking access.
- Negotiating new alternative walking access with a farm landholder in Northland, from Kai Iwi Lakes Road to Ripiro Beach, following the closure of the former track by the Department of Conservation.
- Negotiating an agreement for a temporary trail deviation away from an urupā site at Te Porere Redoubt site, which helped resolve a longstanding grievance that was creating angst for local hapū close to National Park.
- Supporting Waipā District Council to reopen the Hicks Road (northern access) to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, which has been closed since 2018.
- Securing public walking access to Mount Rahotia, a sacred maunga for Rangitāne, with a walkway, as part of an Overseas Investment Office condition of consent for the landholder.
In the last year, we opened 258 cases. Of these cases, 175 were general enquiries, 32 road stopping, 24 new access opportunities, 17 access disputes, and 10 involved our Overseas Investment Office consent work.