Managing landscapes and natural features

Issue

Outstanding and significant natural features and landscapes, and cultural landscapes, are inconsistently identified and managed across Waitaha/Canterbury, which can lead to the loss of their integrity and values.

Causes

In Waitaha/Canterbury, landscape issues are managed by the regional council and territorial authorities through their regional and district plans. Inconsistent identification of outstanding and significant landscapes and features between districts has been an issue due to the evolving way in which they are assessed. Some district plans identify additional landscapes and features (beyond the significance criteria) due to the values of these features and landscapes to the community. The night sky is an example of a feature that has been identified as important within some district plans but not in others. In older district plans there is a lack of protection for landscapes and features that have not been specifically identified in district plans, leading to the loss or degradation of their integrity and values. There are also few provisions that identify and protect cultural landscapes.

Why it matters

Landscape values contribute to social well-being by providing a sense of place and identity in New Zealand, and to our economic well-being through tourism. Some landscapes and features are unique to Waitaha and as such are important nationally. Cultural landscapes are of particular importance to Ngāi Tahu as mana whenua. Development and land use can impact on landscapes and natural features; where this takes place in ways that cannot later be reversed it can lead to the permanent loss of significant values, such as the loss of natural character.

Our current goals

Our Regional Policy Statement includes some direction that must be implemented and other direction that should be implemented. We have included these in two categories below:

1. Things we must do

This is very strong policy direction that is required to be implemented:

  • Identification of outstanding natural landscapes and features in regional and district plans.
  • Protection of outstanding natural features and landscapes through provisions in regional and district plans.
  • Engagement with Ngāi Tahu to identify cultural values associated with outstanding natural features and landscapes.
  • The landscape values of the coastal environment will be maintained and, in some places, enhanced.

2. Things we should do

This policy direction is strongly encouraged:

  • Identification and management of other important landscapes for natural character, historic cultural and heritage, and amenity purposes.
  • Protection of appropriate access and restriction of inappropriate access to historic cultural and heritage items, places, and areas in accordance with tikanga Māori.
  • Enabling the appropriate repair, rebuilding, upgrading, seismic strengthening and adaptive re-use of historic buildings in a manner that is sensitive to their historic values.

Should we change our goals?

When we consider changing goals, we need to keep in mind that other on-the-ground changes will be required to meet them. We also need to keep in mind that some of our must-do policy direction was necessary to meet the national legislation requirements of the time. Some new must-dos will be needed to meet more recent legislation.

Potential impacts of changing our policy direction

We have outlined some of the potential consequences that could result from changing our policy direction. These are high-level examples, just to illustrate that each change will have flow-on effects.

Increasing the identification and protection of outstanding and significant landscapes is important to safeguard these environments for future generations. Protecting these landscapes and features, however, does require restrictions or controls on some activities that could otherwise have lasting adverse effects on their values. Greater levels of protection could require consideration of a wider range of land uses or activities that need to be managed in a way that protects their values.

We are using feedback we received in July and August to draft more detailed policy options, including detail about the consequences of change. You will get another opportunity to tell us what you think about those options in October this year