Regional Coastal Plan review

On this page:

Getting it right for our coasts •
How is the coast part of your life? •
Topics •
Read the discussion document •
Tell us what you think | He aha ōu whakaaro •
Feedback form

Getting it right for our coasts

If you live, work or play by the sea and at our beaches, you’ve probably noticed some things are not like they used to be.

You probably feel quite deeply about this, and have some thoughts about how we should be able to use and enjoy this natural environment forever.

That’s where the Waikato Regional Coastal Plan comes in. It has the really important job of setting out how we sustainably manage our region’s coastal environment.

The current coastal plan was first notified in 1995 and things are a lot different to how they were 24 years ago.

National and regional rules and direction have changed which we now have to take into account.
There are lots more people living, playing or working on Waikato’s coasts.
We’re seeing environmental changes, too.
We have a much better understanding of how our climate is changing and the effects that this could have on our land and coasts.
We’ve also had feedback that the plan could be made easier to understand, and that we need to take a fresh look at whether we’re subjecting activities to the right level of scrutiny.

Your coast. Your life.

How is the coast part of your life?

Select a tab

I live or work in a coastal community
It's my playground
It provides for me
I just love its natural environment and heritage

I live or work in a coastal community

As someone who lives or works or owns property in one of Waikato region's coastal communities, you'll be more interested than most in the coastal water, air and noise pollution and decisions that affect structures, use of space and longer term implications of climate change and flood protection.
Take a look at the topics below, and let us know if we've missed anything that's important.

It's my playground

If you enjoy boating, surfing or other kinds of marine activities in some of the Waikato region's coastal areas, you'll be interested in the coastal water quality, protection of surf breaks, marina and mooring zones, as well as access to the beaches and open spaces.
Take a look at the topic areas below, and let us know if you think we've missed anything that's important.

It provides for me

The coastal and marine environments are a rich resource for people of the Waikato region.
If you enjoy fishing and diving or collecting shellfish, or you have commercial interests in the ocean's resource, you'll be interested in the coastal water quality, coastal biosecurity, rules on dredging, aquaculture as well as marina and mooring zones.
Take a look at the topic areas below, and let us know if you think we've missed anything that's important.

I just love its natural environment and heritage

The Waikato region provides a great way of life, thanks to our incredible natural environment.
If you have environmental interests and care for the protection of native species and their habitats, or if you have a particular concern about the protection of important historic sites on our coast, then you should take a look at the topics below.

Topics

Click on a topic below to find out more about what it means, and some of the issues we think need sorting out.

Social values Tāngata whenua / Mātauranga Māori Natural character and landscape values Water quality Structures Disturbances Open space and access Hazards Biodiversity Biosecurity Historic heritage Aquaculture Mangroves Air and noise

Read the discussion document on coastal topics issues identification
859 KB

Tell us what you think | He aha ōu whakaaro

The coast is cherished by all New Zealanders for its beauty, natural values and as a place to work and play. It is also a significant contributor to the regional and national economy.

That’s why it’s so important we get this plan right. We’d like you to tell us what issues you have with the current coastal plan and how you think we could solve them. We need your feedback by the end of February 2020.

Don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities to provide us with additional feedback and to help us refine the plan

How we'll use your feedback

The feedback provided will be used by the project team to further refine the issues that need to be addressed in the plan review, and to develop options to address those issues. A paper on each issue will be developed, incorporating and summarising the feedback from this engagement phase. These will be published prior to the regional council seeking stakeholders’ views on the options proposed to address the issues. This is currently scheduled to happen in mid-2020.

The community’s views will be reported back to the Regional Plan Review Committee and Waikato Regional Council.

Formal community feedback (in accordance with Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act) will be sought when the proposed plan change is notified in mid-2021 the Waikato Regional Coastal Plan. Further submissions will then be sought, and a hearings panel process will lead to the final recommendations to Waikato Regional Council. Once a decision has been made and any appeals resolved, the revised plan will become operative.

Give your coast a helping hand