Another Te Mata Peak consultation headache: Regional park plan for Craggy Range track land hits council roadblock

Ngahiwi Tomoana and Rex Graham at the site of the proposed regional park last month. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hastings District Council has sent back a bid by a new trust to create a regional park on site of the Craggy Range Track, in part because of a lack of evidence it had consulted with tangata whenua.

The regional park was touted as the solution that would heal the wounds created by the controversial track on Te Mata Peak.

It was announced last month by Te Rongo Charitable Trust's founding trustees Rex Graham (Hawke's Bay Regional Council chairman) and Ngahiwi Tomoana (Ngāti Kahungunu chairman).

Mike Wilding, Andy Lowe and Jonathan McHardy said they would buy the land, containing the controversial Craggy Range walking track on the eastern side of the peak, from Jeff Drabble and Felicity Dobell-Brown so it could be turned into a regional park, administered by Te Rongo.

Te Rongo applied to Hastings District Council on July 9, to subdivide the land in order to create the park, which would cover about 50ha.

The application was subsequently returned because council said there was missing information.

The missing information included accurate proposed subdivision boundaries, an assessment of environmental effects, a full description of land use, what earthworks will be done, and no details under 'the section' consultation'.

Stuff reported that Graham said the fact the iwi was a partner in the trust should have shown that tangata whenua had been consulted, but he had asked Tomoana to ensure all hapu were in agreement prior to re-submitting the application.

"I can't see how they [the district council] could think there hasn't been consultation when the iwi is the partner. The iwi represents all tangata whenua in Kahungunu," he said.

If the application to subdivide was not granted the purchase would not proceed and the park would not be created, Graham told Stuff.

Ngati Kahungunu representative Ngaio Tiuki declined to comment.