How many?
How high up?
The Hastings District Council is asking those questions with respect to the east face of Te Mata Peak.
Scarred (and scared) by its flirtation and dodgy process with the infamous and short-lived zig-zag track up the same iconic landscape, the Council has now launched a pre-consultation on possible district plan changes that would set boundaries on potential house-building at the site.
The aim: “Balancing the need to protect the cultural significance of the natural landscape of the eastern face of Te Mata Peak with the rights of landowners in the area.”
Currently the building prohibition line sits on the 240m contour of the maunga, which takes it from the ridgeline to just below the rocky outcrop on the eastern face.
A Cultural Aspirations Report recommended that the prohibition line be lowered to the 200m contour line. But now some have suggested that this prohibition did not go far enough, and the option to extend the line further, down to Waimārama Road, has been put forward as a means to provide even greater cultural protection.
In addition, the Council has agreed that wāhi tapu sites identified in the Cultural Aspirations report should be included as part of this plan change.
These options will be now be discussed with affected landowners. The outcome of those discussions will be reported back to appropriate council committees. Ultimately the Council will need to decide what changes to make to the current prohibition, if any, and put those out for formal public consultation as required by the Resource Management Act.
Stay tuned.
I think the whole Maunga should be protected and land owners encouraged towards this end
I agree that the whole East side should be protected. It would be a travesty to build on it.
I also agree to the protection of the Eastern slopes.
Protect the whole of the east side!
This is such an iconic site. It is unique in hb and in New Zealand. There should be NO development allowed on any of this site. It must be kept untouched for eternity!!!!!!
NO development on the east side – at all – ever – let’s preserve these very special places (I can’t believe it is even being thought of!)
It should be as much about the view from the top of the peak down the slope as from the bottom to the top.
Find a more suitable site.
Agree protect the whole east side from development the landscape is precious and unique
It must be saved from development in perpetuity
I cannot believe this. The entire council and mayor should be voted out to even contemplate this. If not, where does this sort of thing end?? We cannot destroy NZ’s icons.
The continual development of the Tuki Tuki valley for life style blocks due to what i can only imagine is greed is counter to our environment and landscape please dont allow this slope and that of Craggy range to be covered in houses. Imagine if it became a native parkland instead .