Battle of the beach: resource consent hearing kicks off on proposal to create road, new launch site near Ward Beach

Tuesday, 11 July 2017

A decision on whether a road and new launch site can be constructed north of Ward Beach could be as transformative as the earthquake for a small south Marlborough town.

Lawyer Quentin Davies made the remark during the first day of hearings into a resource consent application lodged by commercial crayfishing company Burkhart Fisheries.

The company is seeking consent to form a 1.5-kilometre road from their existing launch site, which was impacted by seabed uplift in the earthquake, to the Chancet Rocks.

A number of groups have opposed the application, including the Environmental Defence Society and Forest & Bird, arguing it will have a detrimental effect on the area.

**READ MORE:

* Fishing proposal seeks to use public land, launch boats near scientific reserve

* Kaikoura: Quake-lifted seabed hurts town reliant on whales, crayfish

* A surfing competition at Ward Beach? Before the earthquake this would have been laughable

* Kaikoura's raised seabed an opportunity to see geology in action**

But Davies, representing the applicants, said on Tuesday the proposal would enable the Ward fishing community to provide for its social, economic and cultural wellbeing.

'The earthquake has brought into question the future of one of the town's largest employers. What we now face is a decision which is likely to be as transformative for Ward as the earthquake itself.'

Davies told the hearings panel, made up of councillors Jamie Arbuckle, Laressa Shenfield and commissioner John Milligan, that none of the relevant planning documents addressed the impact of the earthquake.

'Ultimately, it is the applicant's case that what confronts the fishing community of Ward is an extraordinary situation for which no policy statement or plan has been written,' he said.

'It was an event that, prior to the earthquake, was expected to occur once every 2500 years. Resource management plans are simply not prepared to address events such as these.'

Since their initial resource consent application, lodged on April 3, Burkhart Fisheries had made a number of amendments to mitigate the environmental effects of their proposal.

The application was publicly notified, with the council receiving 42 submissions: four of which were neutral, 20 in support of the application, and 18 in opposition.

Dennis Burkhart, who founded Burkhart Fisheries with his brother Trevor, said the application was made on behalf of their two families and Gregg Fishing Co, owned by Lester Gregg.

Together, the two companies employed more than 30 staff, who were primarily based in Ward.

Dennis Burkhart said they had explored other options, including driving on the beach to the proposed launch site, and using other options like Marfells Beach, or Port Underwood.

Gregg said in his submission that since the earthquake launching at Ward Beach was unsafe, there were no longer natural breakwaters, and they could only launch in favourable seas.

'We can launch on roughly half the number of days that we used to. We now come back at the first sign of the weather changing,' he said.

Di Lucas, a landscape architect who appeared for both the EDS and the owners of Chancet Farm, both opposing the application, said the proposal would have a significant adverse effect on the natural character of the area.

The presence of bulldozers to launch and retrieve the crayfishing boats, boat trailers and staff vehicles would 'introduce a working environment character to this natural coast', she said.

Chancet Rocks, part of a scientific reserve that included a New Zealand fur seal colony, was identified in the proposed Marlborough Environment Plan as an area of Outstanding Natural Character.

Instead of leading to improved public access, Lucas said the creation of a road, to be formed on parts of an existing paper road, would 'lessen pedestrian enjoyment and invites increased inappropriate activity'.

'Given the importance and vulnerability of the Ward Beach/Chancet Rocks location, the proposal is assessed as an inappropriate use and development.'

The hearing was scheduled to continue on Wednesday, with the possibility of extending out to Thursday.