Tasman District Council is looking at ways to provide for the future of Port Motueka through developing a Structure Plan for the Port and adjacent areas. The purpose of the structure plan is to provide a high-level planning framework that sets out intended uses, to inform planning provisions for the Tasman Environment Plan and influence wider Council decision making.

Council is conscious that there are a complexity of issues, values and interests in Port Motueka with competing uses and demands, as well as a need to respond to climate change and support community resilience. We have heard that there is pressure on the use of the boat club's facilities, including parking, underutilisation of some other areas of land, a deficit of facilities for some users, increasing pressures on use and development of the Port area and significant ecological and cultural values. These issues merit a strategic planning response.

The Tasman Environment Plan needs to have appropriate background information and supporting documentation to make good decisions on the Port Motueka zoning and rules and to be designed to deal with complex values, uses and increasing use. This structure plan will assist decision making on appropriate zoning (such as a potential Port Zone), as well as inputs to Council action plans and servicing programmes.

Council extensively consulted with the public in 2019 regarding the use of the reserves within the Port Motueka Structure Plan area and prepared a reserves management plan under the Reserves Act 1977. The reserves management plan contains management objectives and policies for five park and reserve areas located within the strategic plan area: North Street Recreation Reserve; Saltwater Baths Recreation Reserve; Motueka Beach Recreation Reserve; Link Park; and Moutere Inlet Esplanade Reserves. The Port Motueka Structure Plan will link in with the objectives and policies identified in the reserves management plan. The ‘Resources’ section on this page includes a link to an extract from the Motueka Ward RMP containing details about each of these five areas.”

We will be engaging with iwi, stakeholders and the community at various stages during the development of the structure plan in 2023.

A community survey was conducted in May 2023 and over 200 responses were received. Thanks to all those who shared their feedback. A summary will be available soon.

Please contact: Tania Bray - Tania.Bray@tasman.govt.nz if you would like to be kept up to date.