Famous for its golden sand, Kaiteriteri is a popular coastal holiday destination. Around 370 people live in Kaiteriteri, but the population swells over the holiday season. About 60% of housing in Kaiteriteri is estimated to be holiday homes. A large portion of the flat land at Kaiteriteri is owned by the Department of Conservation and administered by the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board for leisure/tourism/holiday accommodation and recreation purposes. The bay is used by recreational users and private and commercial boat operators to access Abel Tasman National Park. The area is vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including slope instability, coastal hazards and sea level rise, liquefaction and wildfire.

  • Kaiteriteri is vulnerable to coastal hazards and sea level rise. It forms part of Council’s Coastal Management Project working with our coastal communities on our long-term adaptive planning response. More information is available here.
  • Traffic congestion in the holiday season remains an issue, limiting walking and cycling options.
  • As Kaiteriteri grows and changes there is a risk it may lack community facilities and compromise cultural sites and values.
  • Development has degraded the natural environment in and around Kaiteriteri, such as partial infill of the estuary and loss of native forest remnants.
  • Land currently zoned for tourist services and commercial use is all taken up.
  • Manage transport to reduce congestion and carbon emissions, and enable cycling and walking.
  • Protect and restore the significant natural values of the coastal margins from Riuwaka River mouth to Mārahau.
  • To not provide for significant future residential or commercial growth, but instead recognise that Kaiteriteri has reached its natural limit.
  • As part of work towards long-term adaptive planning for sea level rise and coastal hazards, consider a range of land use-planning measures for discussion with the community mid-2023 (via the Coastal Management Project work programme). Measures may include controlling the types and densities of land uses (via zoning), subdivision and building restrictions, or identification of coastal setbacks or coastal risk areas.