All-year-round vehicle ban step closer at Waimārama Beach

An all-year-round vehicle ban is a step closer at Waimārama Beach. Photo / Kiri Manuel.

* In an earlier version of this story we used a photo of boulders blocking a road in Waimārama. The photo used was not the road where resident Bayden Barber earlier placed rocks to prevent vehicular access to the beach - and was in fact on private land.

An all-year-round vehicle ban is a step closer at Waimārama Beach.

There is an existing bylaw which bans vehicle use along a 1km strip of the popular Hawke’s Bay beach for about five months of the year (late October to April 1, from 8am to 8pm).

Hastings District Council has been asking for feedback around a shortlist of options to extend that ban.

The council has now landed on a preferred option, following the feedback process, which would see the current ban enforced all year round and also extended by an extra 1.7km north up the beach.

That preferred option will be open for feedback from July 13 to July 28, through the council’s website, and the council will then decide whether to adopt it as a bylaw.

Vehicle use on Waimārama Beach was thrust into the spotlight late last year, at the start of summer, when iwi leader and Waimārama resident Bayden Barber placed large rocks in front of access to the beach to stop vehicles driving on the sand.

The makeshift blockade - which has remained in place - also coincided with Hastings District Council investigating a further ban of vehicles on that beach.

The proposed vehicle ban area at Waimārama Beach which the council has landed on for its preferred option. Photo / HDC

“These issues have been building up over a number of years, and the intention of this proposal is to find a middle ground to satisfy all users,” Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said.

“With this decision we believe we are putting the safety of beach users first and giving more protection to the environment, but leaving access areas for those who use vehicles for recreational activities.”

If adopted, two vehicle access areas “for permitted activities” only would remain within the ban area including a 400m strip at the Tiakitai Rd access point, and a 350m strip between the two boat ramps at Paparewa Reserve.