Marlborough freedom camping sites 'non-compliant'

A council is trying to legalise camping at its freedom camping sites after realising none of them complied with either national or regional rules.

Of the five freedom camping sites owned by the Marlborough District Council, two violate national reserve rules and four are waiting on resource consent approval to make camping there legal.

The sites, which saw 4300 tourists over summer, were the only ones to survive an overhaul of the region's freedom camping bylaw six months ago. Eight others were closed.

The council admitted following a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request that the four sites without a resource consent were "technically non-compliant" under its own regional environment plan.

The proposed Marlborough Environment Plan did not explicitly allow camping at the council's Wynen St car park, Taylor River Dam, Lake Elterwater Reserve and Wairau Diversion campsites, which meant consent was needed.

A council spokesman said the compliance team were aware of this and were actively seeking resource consents. He did not state when these were expected to be lodged.

Legalising the Wairau Diversion site, north-east of Blenheim, was expected to take longer than the others as the council planned to spend $900,000 on landscaping it. The idea was to enhance its layout, and health and safety.

The council's resource consent database, which was publicly available, showed as of Tuesday the council had not lodged resource consent applications for the four sites.

It also had not legalised camping at its Renwick Domain and Taylor River Dam sites under the Reserves Act, despite having the power to do so, as it wanted the blessing of councillors.

Camping was only allowed at New Zealand reserves under the act if it was allowed for in a reserve management plan or if Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan gave her consent.

The Renwick Domain and Taylor River Dam sites had neither. The government had given the council the ability to allow camping on its reserves, but staff wanted a "formal recommendation" approved by Marlborough's councillors.

Renwick Sports and Events Centre manager David McLuckie was surprised camping was not technically allowed the Renwick Domain site, next to the events centre.

"I've always been 'for' freedom camping ... We've never had a problem from them. The local scallywags cause more problems. Lately, we've been getting more Kiwis or people looking to work local, who stay until they find somewhere."

Nic Nacs manager Anita Ireland, who worked in a store 90m from the site, thought freedom camping sites hurt accommodation businesses but was not against them.

"We don't have a problem with freedom campers. We used to, but it's a lot more contained now thanks to the council."

Thompson Electrical general manager Richard Thompson said some summers between 20 and 30 vehicles had parked at the site overnight. The region's bylaw had long limited the number of vehicles at Renwick Domain to 10 per night.

"The site doesn't affect us too much. Sometimes we find campers washing their dishes in the toilet block next door."

Renwick resident Anthony Heaslip said he was constantly picking up bottles left behind by "messy" freedom campers.

"I don't think we should have freedom camping sites ... There are heaps of hotels and camping grounds around."

Residents of Double Bay, in the Marlborough Sounds, brought the Reserves Act to the council's attention during a review of the region's freedom camping bylaw last year, in a bid to close the site near their homes. Residents alleged campers defecated in their gardens and stole their water.

They believed this went against the act, which required councils to protect the "pleasantness" of their reserves.

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