TDC Me

Your Say

Together we can achieve more

  • Home
  • Inclusive Council
  • Environment
  • Water
  • Housing
  • Business
  • Transport
  • Dam
  • Contact
  • About
    • Testimonials

Council Permits Building On The Estuary

26/08/2016

waimea-inlet-DOC

Mayor On The Right Track – Yeah Right!

Perhaps the permitted house is not exactly “on” the estuary, as in you don’t need a boat or to wait until low tide to access it, but it is certainly encroaching on the estuary.

The estuary that DOC describes as:

waimea-inlet-DOC
Waimea-inlet-DOC

Waimea Inlet is the largest semi-enclosed estuary in the South Island.

It is an important example of this ecosystem type. It provides habitat for:

  • rare or threatened native plants and animals, and
  • important populations of coastal wetland birds and migratory wading birds.

But the values of the Waimea Inlet ecosytem have been severely degraded and a restoration project is underway.

That almost sounds worthy of looking after don’t you think?

Yes, we have neglected and subjected it to all manner of degradation for years, but now we have turned a corner and decided to restore it as best we can before we lose it altogether.  Or have we?

proposed building on edge of estuary
Proposed building

George Hilgeholt applied to the council to build this building on the edge of the estuary at Johnstone Loop near Tasman.

What is the problem with that you say?

Well, the measuring stick used to portray the building in the picture submitted for approval seems to be the same one that council used to measure the building against compliance requirements for building in such a location.

When the building is drawn to the scale that coincides with the dimensions given by the architect the picture looks slightly different. In fact, it appears to look significantly different.

the actual scale of the eyesaw to built on the estuary
Using a more accurate scale

Not only is the building significantly more of an eye saw than the submitted rendition would indicate, it seems to have a few other issues that raise red flags too.

The following questions (and more) are raised by the Save Our Shores TDC Facebook page:

The Tasman District Council is ignoring the consensus to save, more intent on invade via RMA rule manipulation … Why would you allowed a new building to be 93% noncompliant – sited 7 metres from the Mean Springs Tide Water Mark versus the TRMP regulation of 100 metres of set back in Rural 1 let alone the Coastal Overlay? Why would you allow a building to have a Waste Water Secondary treatment to be within 7m of the high tide mark and a few metres from a wetland? Why have a national Coastal Policy height restriction of 5 metres – then allow a 6.7 metre building?

They seem like good questions to me.

Farmers in the outer extremities of TDC have had large tracts of their land ring-fenced because they are wetlands of national significance. I wonder how they feel knowing that the council has little regard for estuary wetlands?

What do you think?

 

Filed Under: Resources, Your Say Tagged With: coastline, permits, Tasman estuary, tdc, wetlands

Introducing Dean

Dean McNamara Husband, father, and a fourth generation local from rural Tasman. No longer acting as your voice on the Tasman District Council (TDC). More about me.

Email Newsletter

Sign up to be informed of important news and upcoming events

Make your voice count

Testimonials

Fantastic Speech

It was great to have your involvement in the dawn blessing of the Mapua Sculpture at the beginning of March. Thank you for the fantastic speech which encapsulated the essence of what the Sculpture Project is all about.

Janet Taylor
Ruby Coast Initiative Trust

You Rock

[Thankyou] for standing up for democracy & the people you represent. In the words of a younger generation “You Rock”!

Beth McCarthy
Takaka

keep sticking it to them

What a great pity there aren’t more councilors like yourself, who stand for council on behalf of the voters, and who remain steadfast in their commitment to being voter representatives and not council mouthpieces

Gary Thorpe
Read more testimonials
  • Testimonial Submission Form

Councillor McNamara: As Reported In The News

  • Latest News
    • Yet Another Unbudgeted Spend
    • Dam Tax Bites Little Guys
    • Freedom Camping Waste
    • No Support For Dam Report
    • Developing Within Boxes
    • Grandstand Funding Folly
    • Population Projections
    • Recycling Lunacy
    • Another Dam Blow Out
    • Councillors Not Qualified Directors
    • Mapua Boat Ramp
    • Pokies Sinking Lid Policy
    • No More Mayoral Casting Vote
    • Votes By Ward
    • Returning as Councillor
  • News From Last Term
    • Signing Off
    • Waste (of) money
    • Port Tarakohe
    • Free Charging Not Free
    • Re Election Candidates
    • NZTA Priorities
    • Mapua Upgrade Begins
    • Another vote Uturn
    • Traffic Woes Government Nos
    • Consult Fairy Tales
    • Capital Stop-Works
    • Kempthorne Quits
    • 20 million not a significant change
    • Over paid Councillor
    • Dam Train Wreck
    • Death Vote For Dam
    • Dam Scarce Water
    • Barbershop Gossip
    • Dam budget blowout
    • Dam Secrets
    • Wakefield Water Supply
    • Kempthorne Casting Votes
    • Mapua Gateway Sculpture
    • Mayor Spends Up Again
    • Mayor has a talk
    • Alleged Propaganda
    • Dam Affodability Questioned
    • Dam Funding Questions
    • Dam Questions
    • Storm Water Priorities
    • Knitting up a storm
    • Old guard take on new committee roles at Tasman District Council

Archives

Share the joy

Why Vote McNamara?

I am MOTIVATED.
I have business EXPERIENCE.
I am fiscally FRUGAL (some say tight!).
I am a born and bred LOCAL - here to stay
I am CONTACTABLE - reach me through this website.
I know together WE CAN DO BETTER.

Tags

3 waters Campground casting vote cost of the dam council councillor role dam overruns Dean McNamara Debt decisions Dr Mike Joy Easter Trading Election fine print free lunch Funding inconsistencies lie Lies Mandates McKee Memorial Reserve performance Pigeon Valley Fire rate affordability Rate increase rates Richmond risks rules Shane Jones spending stormwater strategic misrepresentation Tasman Tasman council elections Tasman District Council tdc TDC propaganda vote Waimea Community Dam Waimea dam waimea irrigators water water bylaw WIL

Copyright © 2025 · TDCME.nz · Powered by Nz Marketing Systems · Log in

This website is authorized by Dean McNamara 22a Edward Street Wakefield