This application is notified under section 17SC of the Conservation Act 1987. The Minister of Conservation has received an application for a lease concession for a term of 30 years.
Application details
Applicant
Manaaki Group Holdings Limited
Location of proposed activity
Moerangi Valley, Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tane Conservation Park
Map references
NZTM Accommodation Boundary Co-ordinates:
- A: 1923627 East 5703847 North
- B: 1923643 East 5703857 North
- C: 1923676 East 5703813 North
- D: 1923653 East 5703799 North
Summary of proposal
To establish a tourism development site in Whirinaki Te Pua-A-Tane (Forest Park) to support walking and mountain biking activity in the Park . The applicant is a current concessionaire and holds a lease/licence concession 41768-OTH for land and accommodation structures in the same forest park that expires in 2046 (Okahu Valley site).
Structures proposed at the site are:
- 10 sleeping huts (wharemoe)
- Kitchen/dining/recreation hall and staff quarters facility (wharekai)
A helicopter drop zone is proposed near the site for use during the construction phase and for future provisioning.
A short section of new walking track is proposed to provide all-weather access to the site and has an overall length of 1200 metres.
An on-site sewage treatment and disposal system is proposed to service the site.
The intention is to operate the tourism facility for up to nine months of the year (i.e. from September till May annually).
The tourism operation will accommodate up to 20 clients, 2 camp management staff and 2 track guides. However, a lease area larger than the structures is applied for in the event additional structures are required to provide up to 25 clients. The applicant’s guiding concession on nearby tracks has a limit of 25 clients per day.
The applicant intends to engage a warden to provide security and undertake basic maintenance during the off-season. The warden will be an experienced hunter whose brief will be to target female deer to assist in forest rejuvenation. Human resources are intended to be offered to the predator control programme.
Vegetation will be removed as part of the development and on-going minor trimming of vegetation will occur for maintenance and safety reasons.
Concession applied for
A lease to establish and operate a tourism development site.
How to submit
Any person or organisation may make a submission in writing to the Director-General on the proposal. The submission must be made on a submission form – download a copy or get one from Whakatane District Office.
Comment submission form (Word, 236K)
You may make a submission by sending a written or electronic submission to:
Director-General
Department of Conservation
Private Bag 3072
Hamilton 3240.
Attention: Darcy Liddell, Permissions Advisor
Email: dliddell@doc.govt.nz
Submissions close on Friday 28 September at 5 pm. Once submitted, submitters' information is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and may be released under that Act. If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, you need to state this in writing when making your submission.
Any person or organisation wishing to be heard in support of his/her submission, must request (within that submission) an opportunity to appear before the Director-General.
DOC comment regarding publicly notified applications
The Minister of Conservation has made no determination regarding the suitability of this proposed concession on public conservation land. This public notification should not be interpreted as an intention on the part of the Minister of Conservation to grant the proposed concession.
Hearing details
If a hearing is required, it is likely to occur on the week starting 29 September 2018.