Which Wairarapa landscapes are important?

What landscapes make Wairarapa special and why? How should they be recognised and managed?

Those questions will be the focus of public consultation on a project that is assessing Wairarapa’s landscapes run by the three Wairarapa district councils and Greater Wellington.

Public consultation begins in May

20th May 2010, Public meeting, Masterton District Council Frank Cody Lounge: 5.30-7.30pm

25th May 2010, Public meeting, Greytown Town Centre: 5.30-7.30pm

27th May 2010, Public meeting, Martinborough Town Hall: 5.30-7.30pm

The four councils have been seeking views from tangata whenua, farming and horticulture interests and environmental groups, and are now consulting the wider public.

Project spokesperson Masterton District Council district planner Sue Southey says people have strong feelings about Wairarapa’s landscapes.

“Locals and visitors alike enjoy the mountains, the plains, the coast and the rugged eastern hill country of the Wairarapa. There are some spectacular natural features and great examples of rural landscapes and native forests. Largely it is still a working and changing landscape.”

Mrs Southey says there is some uncertainty, under the Resource Management Act, about what sort of development can be carried out on “important” landscapes in Wairarapa.

“While that uncertainty exists, anyone applying for a land-use change, sub-division or development may have to determine if it is in an important landscape, and then how they propose to mitigate any adverse effects on that landscape.”

“This uncertainty can create tensions in communities and an expensive and time-consuming process for applicants, affected parties and territorial and regional authorities.”

Mrs Southey says the project involves identifying and mapping the outstanding natural features and landscapes, and the significant amenity landscapes. These will be identified and mapped in consultation with land owners, iwi and the community. Central to this process is finding out which landscapes the community values most, why they are highly valued and why they might be worthy of particular recognition and care.

This does not mean locking the landscape into a point in time, but rather to ensure that any activities located within them are appropriate and respect the special values that make the landscape important.

She says the project has described and characterised the various landscapes in Wairarapa, before going to interest groups and the community to evaluate them to identify, document and map the important landscapes.

“A steering committee with representatives from the four councils, Rangitane o Wairarapa, Kahunungu ki Wairarapa and Federated Farmers have been helping oversee the project.”

Environmental and planning firm Boffa Miskell is carrying out the project work.

“From May we will be asking the people of the Wairarapa what local landscapes they value and , what is it that makes these landscapes special. We look forward to seeing people at the public meetings, hearing their comments.”

Further information about the landscape assessment project is on line at www.carterton.co.nz/wailandscape