Exploring solar generation on council-held reserve land

What’s happened so far

We’re exploring the possibility of enabling a solar farm(s) to take place on some or all of the 2,700 hectares of reserve land we hold for flood protection between Yaldhurst and West Melton.

In August last year, Council approved further investigation and the development of a business case into a council-led renewable energy development proposal.

This has been completed by undertaking legal, ecological, archaeological, flood risk and commercial reviews. We have also engaged with mana whenua for their early views.

The business case identified that it is possible for Canterbury Regional Council to maintain our duties in flood protection, while also allowing for some solar development to take place on this land under strict controls.

What the West Melton reserve land is used for now

The land between Yaldhurst and West Melton is leased for light grazing and generates about $200,000 of revenue per year.

This money is used to help fund flood protection work in the Waimakariri catchment.

Possible benefits of using some of this land to generate solar energy

There are many potential benefits of solar generation on the flood reserve land between Yaldhurst and West Melton.

Some key benefits include:

• If 300ha of land generated solar energy, it could generate about 150MWP or power about 40,000 homes.
• Our assessments indicate just one hectare of solar infrastructure could generate energy for 140 homes and save about 90 tonnes of CO2 each year.
• Increased revenue generated through solar generation and light grazing.
• Less reliance on rates to fund future flood resilience projects in the Waimakariri catchment.

Why the Canterbury Regional Council holds land

The Canterbury Regional Council holds land across the region for the benefit of our communities.

0We hold about 25,500 hectares of land throughout Canterbury for:

• environmental and biodiversity protection and climate resilience
• drainage and water infrastructure as well as public access and recreation
• monitoring and scientific purposes
• long-term financial stability
• developing operational and strategic assets such as depots and offices
• meeting obligations under legislation or historic agreements.

The reserve land we hold between Yaldhurst and West Melton is for flood protection and river management. If solar energy generation were enabled on this land, we would still retain rights to access and use it for flood protection and related works if required.

A potential change in land purpose to enable solar generation at West Melton Reserve is consistent with our Landholdings Strategy. The strategy sets the direction for how we will manage the land we hold and manage, so we can deliver our long-term aspirations and fulfil our statutory responsibilities.

The strategy provides a Highest and Best Use (HBU) Framework for assessing whether land is being used appropriately and for identifying opportunities for optimisation or change.

Flood protection at West Melton Reserve

We hold reserve land between Yaldhurst and West Melton for flood protection and river management.

The likelihood of requiring this land for future flood protection works is considered to be low.

We recently completed a detailed flood mapping assessment, which found the likelihood of requiring the land for future flood protection works is low over the next 50 to 100 years.

If solar energy generation were enabled on the flood reserve land, retain the right to access and use the land for flood protection and river management if required.

Ecological values

Our initial assessments show that much of the flood reserve land between Yaldhurst and West Melton is classed as having low ecological value. However, there are areas of high and medium ecological value.

Areas identified as having high ecological value will not be developed. For example, West Melton Reserve contains some of the last remaining examples of Canterbury’s dry plains indigenous shrublands, grassland and moss-herb field habitats. Land identified as having medium ecological value may be used for supporting infrastructure, such as transmission infrastructure, under strict conditions.

If a solar development was to proceed, we would only allow this to occur on land with a low ecological value. Any development would also have to go through normal consent approvals processes.

A further independent ecological assessment of the land currently categorised as ‘low’ is underway to confirm our initial ecological findings. This will ensure that any solar development protects land with important ecological value.

Cultural significance

We have been working closely with Whitiora, which is the cultural and strategic advisor to Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, to provide advice on the cultural values West Melton Reserve holds.

The flood reserve contains historic umu (earth ovens), as well as colonial era foundations. Any solar infrastructure design would need to be sympathetic to the archaeological value of the land and not disturb these important cultural and historical artefacts.

Archaeological sites of Māori origin in the Ngāi Tūāhuriri takiwā are considered ‘Ngā tapuae o ngā tupuna/footsteps of our ancestors’ and are culturally significant as they provide valuable information about the lives of tīpuna. The umu/ovens identified in the area highlight the nohoanga and mahinga kai activity that took place.

You’ve told us that renewable energy infrastructure is important to you. In 2023, our ‘Let's pick a path/Me whiriwhiri tātou i te huarahi project’ asked for community feedback to create and update a number of plans to meet current and future expectations of mana whenua, community, and the government.

As part of the feedback, respondents told us hydro and solar power generation should be given highest priority over other renewable energy infrastructure.