Coromandel landowners furious over prospect of restrictions

Sandra Goudie. Photo / Supplied

Angry Coromandel landowners are demanding the Waikato Regional Council stop "invading" their properties and are fighting plans to place restrictions on private land.

The landowners are furious the Waikato Regional Council has identified their properties as being outstanding natural features and landscapes without notifying them directly and have now missed the deadline to submit on the regional policy statement which they say covers their land.

But the regional council said that was not their job and the landowners will have their say through the district plan review being conducted by Thames Coromandel District Council.

Former Thames Coromandel MP Sandra Goudie, who chaired a meeting on Sunday which about 200 affected landowners attended, said the council had failed to consult and they would fight the changes.

The residents first learned of the change after Thames Coromandel District Council sent out a letter to 3600 affected landowners in its district in November last year telling them the two councils had identified the land as significant natural fauna and high value in a bid to protect the region's landscape. It is unclear at this stage what it could mean for landowners.

"It's all up in the air - here they are talking all about it and nobody knows what it means. But it is obviously leading towards rules and conditions over their properties," Ms Goudie said.

Hearings for the RPS, which sets out 11 criteria about what outstanding natural features and landscapes are, including areas already protected, and where that type of biodiversity is rare, begin this week at Waikato Regional Council.

The final policy statement will then feed into the Thames Coromandel District Council district plan which the council, under legislation, is required to implement.

Waikato Regional Council group manager of policy and transport Vaughan Payne said the maps with the draft areas were a desktop exercise for the district council to consult on and get feedback on.

"Those maps are not in the regional policy statement that's proposed so there is no need to consult with each individual landowner."

PAPER WAR
* Coromandel landowners are fighting plans to put restrictions on private land.
* Waikato Regional Council has identified properties as being outstanding natural features and landscapes.
* The owners have not been notified directly and have now missed the deadline to submit on the regional policy statement.
* Thames Coromandel District Council sent out a letter to 3600 affected landowners in November.