We are a private development group comprising the owners of ‘Paradise’ and our advisers. We recently purchased ‘Paradise’, and intend to develop the property to cater for a significant amount of tourism. Preliminary plans are to develop a large lodge, café and booking office for proposed guided walks to the U2 rocks, with facilities for campervans. We are well-resourced and have no set goals and development approach beyond seeing a good rate of return in the long term. We have publicly stated that we wish to work with the community to come up with “win-win” solutions. ‘Paradise’ is located within the Edge.
The Edge is an inland tourism hotspot that acts as the gateway to a large national park. Visitor numbers are growing and peak in summer. Visitors are attracted to viewing rock formations in the national park that bare an uncanny resemblance to the members of the band “U2”. These same formations are very significant to tangata whenua, who think they look more like Kiri te Kanawa, and the rocks are registered waahi tapu.
The Edge is the launching place for almost all people entering and exiting the Park and is under a lot of pressure to accommodate new facilities and increasing bus traffic. Air traffic is also increasing via a small local airfield, with helicopter access to the park’s attractions becoming popular. There are no infrastructural services such as reticulated water supply, sewer or stormwater management and the local authority is in no financial position to develop such services.
Community tensions are growing: park users and some locals are unhappy about noise and social impacts and locals are either antagonistic towards growth and disturbance, or keen to cash in. The local authority, DOC, tangata whenua, residents and landowners are unsatisfied with the current situation and each is looking for a way to address it comprehensively while achieving their own aspirations.
Here are some steps and tools that this development group could use in an integrated approach to sustainable tourism development. The order of steps and the suggested tools are just a guide. You may decide there are other things you need to consider as you go along.
Review the legislative context and statutory framework to identify specific policy or planning requirements and controls, and how they reflect community and developer aspirations and the strategic direction for the Edge. The review will also identify regulatory requirements including any necessary resource consents from district and regional authorities, or concession from DOC to operation on conservation land.
Documents to be reviewed include District and Regional Council planning and strategic documents, and Department of Conservation management strategy and, the national park management plan). Start with tools under Resource, land-use and tourism plans.
Consider:
Consult with the community and stakeholders over the developer’s initial concept plans and designs, in the context of the needs and aspirations of the community. This step may not result in agreement between the parties, but should achieve a thorough understanding of the issues and progress towards resolving areas of contention where possible. A review of concepts plans and designs may be required.
You will need to consider who the key stakeholders are, the most appropriate method of consultation and how to consult with iwi and stakeholders. Start with tools under Collaboration and structured participation.
Consider:
There may be a need to change the planning documents to better reflect the type of development proposed and to manage its ongoing operation. Otherwise, apply for relevant consents and concessions from the respective regulatory bodies. This step involves developing detailed plans along with an Assessment of Environmental Effects, social and cultural impact assessment. Concurrent with this should be on-going consultation. Review the tools under Impact assessment .
Consider:
Implement the proposal for ‘Paradise’ and combine planning with detailed specification of visitor marketing and information requirements, including an interpretation plan for the lodge, booking office and guided walks. Work with local iwi in developing interpretation for U2. Look at the tools under Interpretation, information and marketing
Consider: