Coastal building rules to be reviewed

The Government is to review coastal development rules to cope with development pressures, Conservation Minister Chris Carter says.

The day after he vetoed a $10 million marina in Whangamata, Mr Carter said coastal communities around New Zealand were worried about the pace of change.

"Ultimately, I want New Zealanders to decide how we develop our coastline," he said.

"This is about what people want in the end. More and more pressure is coming on the coastline, we need to give better guidance to local government."

Mr Carter said he would appoint a panel to find out what was happening around the country and how people felt about it.

"We have a policy statement on the coast which is a guide for local government in granting consents. It's now nine years old, it's time for it to be revised," he told National Radio.

"More and more pressure is coming on the coastline, like aquaculture and residential development."

National's environment spokesman, Nick Smith questioned the value of a review of coastal policy.

"Right now we have a national coastal policy plan that people have been consulted to death on, we have a regional coastal plan right through the country, and as well as that at council level there are district plans on which people have been consulted," he said.

Referring to the Whangamata decision, he added: "Why are people going to bother to be involved and consulted with this review when the minister says 'stuff the process' and regardless of what the Environment Court may or may not he is going to make decisions."

- NZPA