TR5 RECREATION REVIEW RECREATION RECREATION REVIEW: EFFECTS ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE RECREATION VALUES Quality Assurance Prepared by Rob Greenaway & Associates (R&R Consultancy (NZ) Ltd) Revision History: Revision Author Approved for Issue Name Signature Date Rob Rob Final 19 September 2020 Greenaway Greenaway Quality Information Document Title: Te Ara Tupua - The Ngā Ūranga To Pito-One Path - Recreation Review: Effects Assessment and Future Recreation Values Version: Final Date: 19 September 2020 Prepared by: Rob Greenaway Reviewed by: Susan Rawles and Simon Kennett (Waka Kotahi), Max Pocock (Beca) and Buddle Findlay. Disclaimer This report (‘Report’) has been prepared by Rob Greenaway & Associates (R&R Consulting (NZ) Ltd) exclusively for Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (‘Client’) in relation to the Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One project. R&R Consulting (NZ) Ltd accepts no liability whatsoever for any reliance on or use of this Report, in whole or in part, for any use or purpose other than the purpose for which it was prepared or any use or reliance by any third party. Executive summary The Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One Shared Path Project (the Project) is part of the Te Ara Tupua Programme which aims to deliver a shared path between Melling and the Wellington CBD. This Project involves construction of a shared path from the Ngā Ūranga interchange to just south of the Pito-One Railway Station. The shared path will cater for active modes of transport including walking and cycling, and will provide an alternative for commuters to the deficient State Highway 2 (SH2) cycle path located adjacent to the southbound SH2 carriageway. The primary purpose is not to establish a recreation setting between Ngā Ūranga and Pito-One, or to prioritise recreation. However, recreational benefits will accrue nonetheless, and the Project design aims to maximise dual use within its unavoidable constraints. This assessment considers how the Project maximises benefits to commuters, how recreational value can also be gained as a secondary outcome, and how adverse effects on existing recreation opportunities can be managed. This report is presented in two parts. The first assesses the effects of the Project on existing recreation opportunities. The second reviews the recreation benefits of the Project. This report has been prepared in parallel with several other complementary assessments, particularly the Technical Report 1: Strategic Transport Assessment, Technical Report 2: Shared Path Demand Assessment and Design Review, and Technical Report 3: Integrated Transport Assessment. Effects on existing recreation The study area is divided into three sections: . Sector 1. Ngā Ūranga Interchange and Bridge Crossing. Sector 2. Ngā Ūranga to Honiana Te Puni Reserve - Path and Ūranga. Sector 3. Honiana Te Puni Reserve and the Pito-One to Melling (P2M) Connection. Sectors 1 and 2 have limited existing recreation value due to a lack of public access to the coast and seaward of the railway, and the poor state of the existing cycle path on SH2. The existing cycle path will not be closed as part of the Project. Effects in these sectors relate to encroachment into the coastal marine environment (CMA) with the potential to affect inshore fishing, snorkelling and boating activities. For the latter, this includes rowing, waka ama, kayaking and other small boat activity. However, due to inshore hazards, none of these activities normally occur sufficiently close to the shore to be affected by the Project and there will be no change to the scale of local boating opportunity. The new shared path will provide more opportunity to view and administer small boat races (rowing, waka ama and other paddling sports) which typically begin at Honiana Te Puni Reserve (the Reserve) and follow the coast south adjacent to the proposed shared path. Fishing and snorkelling are currently infrequent uses of the setting due to poor access and the availability of superior alternatives. The marine component of the ecology assessment indicates the retention of most of the rocky habitat preferred by fish species and the development of new habitat to address losses. Enhanced access will benefit both activities. Effects in Sector 3 result mainly from the temporary occupation of 34% percent of Honiana Te Puni Reserve for the Northern Construction Yard (and just over 7.5% of all public land owned by either Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika (Taranaki Whānui) or Hutt City Council along the Pito-One foreshore, not including beach areas). Access along the foreshore adjacent to the Northern Construction Yard will remain in place, but there will be no public access to the existing boat launching site across the beach adjacent to the existing Wellington Water Ski Club clubroom, and limited access for club events. This clubroom and the nearby Wellington Rowing Association building are within the proposed Northern Construction Yard and are proposed to be permanently replaced, Te Ara Tupua | The Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One Path | Recreation Review 3 prior to construction beginning, with a new integrated clubs building in the eastern corner of Honiana Te Puni Reserve. Remaining temporary effects include the loss of access to the existing public beach ramp for the three-year construction period. Small craft, such as kayaks and rowing skiffs, will be able to be launched immediately east of the Reserve and adjacent to the new integrated clubs building. This beach site is, however, unsuitable for launching large powered craft such as waterski boats, and for the construction period these will need to be launched from existing concrete ramps at Sladden Park, Seaview or Lowry Bay (most likely Seaview). The existing beach ramp at Honiana Te Puni Reserve is unsuitable for 2WD cars with boat trailers (the water ski club currently relies on a tractor) and the temporary effects on public boat launching will be minor and mostly related to small ‘tinnies’ (aluminium dinghies with small outboards) fishing locally, and jet skis. There is adequate capacity at alternative boat ramps to cope with any displaced boat launching activity. Construction activity will also result in temporary occupation of a small portion of the Pito-One foreshore (7.5%), including a popular dog walking area (a temporary loss of access to 7% of the dog exercise space on the Pito-One foreshore and 13% of space west of the Pito-One wharf). There is adequate capacity along the foreshore for displaced activities. Post-construction, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) has committed to rehabilitating the Reserve. Final details in terms of the layout of the Reserve will be confirmed through active engagement between Hutt City Council, Taranaki Whānui, and Waka Kotahi, during the construction period. A visioning exercise with these parties has established the likely main components of the rehabilitated Reserve. Boat launching access to the existing beach ramp will be defined by future reserve management planning exercises beyond the scope of this Project, but is anticipated to include, at least, continued access for the existing watersports clubs. However, the ultimate design, development and maintenance of Honiana Te Puni Reserve is controlled by Taranaki Whānui and the Hutt City Council in accordance with Treaty of Waitangi Settlement Legislation and the Reserves Act 1977, and cannot (and should not) be defined by consent conditions associated with the Project, beyond those which form part of the application. The assessment indicates that the Project, and its construction process, is fully supportive of the objectives of the NZCPS, RCP and PNRP, and the City of Lower Hutt and Wellington City District Plans, as they relate to recreation and coastal access objectives – considering both the scale of temporary effects during construction, the benefits of improved coastal access provided by Te Ara Tupua, and the rehabilitation of Honiana Te Puni Reserve as agreed with Taranaki Whānui and the Hutt City Council. Future recreation value The second part of this report: . Reviews the plans, strategies and motivations of the three relevant councils and the Great Harbour Way Trust for developing recreation and active transport networks in the Project area. This indicates the strategic nature of the Project and the expectation that it will contribute to a regional network of recreation and tourism access opportunities. It is important to recognise the ongoing commitment by these agencies – and the advocacy groups represented in the consultation for this and preceding scoping reports for the Project – in creating a comprehensive trails complex in the Wellington Region, and the degree to which Te Ara Tupua represents a critical link. Provides a review of international and domestic literature which quantifies and provides context for the benefits of physical activity, and active transport in particular. There is strong international agreement that physical activity is fundamental to physical and mental wellbeing, and that there are significant economic gains to be made from physical activity Te Ara Tupua | The Ngā Ūranga to Pito-One Path | Recreation Review 4 uptake. There are numerous examples of where the cost and benefits of active transport developments have been quantified and shown to be substantially positive. Considers the degree to which recreation and tourism activity on the shared path will complement the demand assessment in Technical Report 2, and concludes that this assessment is likely to be conservative in its assessment of the likely use of the shared path, noting that the scale of tourism update is difficult to predict, and similarly the scale of benefit from tourism considering the shared path’s connection to an existing national cycle trail. However, the ability to further develop the Great Harbour Way, and to create an attraction in its own right, will open new tourism product for the Wellington region. The Project will result in significant increases in recreation participation in the study area, and the net outcome for recreation in general terms will be manifestly positive.