Council investigates local bill for dam land

The Tasman District Council will consider promoting a local bill in Parliament to gain access to Crown land needed for the reservoir that will be formed by the Waimea Community Dam (Dam).

The 9.6 hectares is Crown conservation land in the Mount Richmond Forest Park and is administered by the Department of Conservation.

DOC has advised Council that transferring ownership of the land through the Public Works Act is no longer available, so a Local Bill is now likely to be the best option for securing the land.

The Council and DOC have worked together throughout the past 15 years of investigation and research into the Dam project. DOC has agreed to a $2 million biodiversity package and pest management programme to offset the impacts of the Dam on the conservation land and to enhance biodiversity in the wider catchment area as far as the coast.

This package was agreed as part of the resource consent requirements for the Dam. Some of the measures within this package are already underway.

It may take until March/April 2019 for the bill to make its way through Parliament.