A group of about 100 landowners in the Lake Rotorua catchment say the Bay of Plenty Regional Council has agreed to consider their concerns about new rules to reduce nitrogen run-off into the lake.
Photo: 123RF
The council is in the process of consulting landowners to help them draft rules on nutrient run-off, which means land use will have to change to meet set individual targets.
The Protect Rotorua group and regional council representatives met yesterday.
Lawyer for Protect Rotorua, Mai Chen, said she outlined landowner concerns.
"Understandably, when you've got rules that could put people out of business and will significantly devalue property prices there are a lot of considerations to take into account to make sure that it is fair and equitable," she said.
Ms Chen said many of those affected considered they were bearing the brunt of public good in terms of a cleaner lake, yet a determination had been made that there would be no compensation.
"So what do you do if you've got a high mortgage, your property prices have plummeted, you can't continue with your business because of the nitrogen reductions you are required to make on the land, nobody wants to buy your property and you haven't got the money to convert your property into a different land use? You see why there's a problem."
The landowners and regional council were due to meet again in three weeks, Ms Chen said.