BOARD OF INQUIRY NEW ZEALAND KING SALMON REQUESTS FOR PLAN CHANGES AND APPLICATIONS FOR RESOURCE CONSENTS IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 (the RMA) AND IN THE MATTER of a referral to a Board of Inquiry under Section 147 of the Act of requests for plan changes and applications for resource consents by The New Zealand King Salmon Company Limited The Board of Inquiry Retired Environment Judge Gordon Whiting (Chairperson) Environment Commissioner Helen Beaumont (Board Member) Mr Edward Ellison (Board Member) Mr Mark Farnsworth (Board Member) Mr Michael Briggs (Board Member) Hearings: At Blenheim on 27-31 August; 3-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28 September; 1-2 October; at Waikawa Marae 3-5 October; at Portage 8 October; at Blenheim 9-12, 15-19 October. Appearances: (for the purposes of cross-examination) Mr D Nolan, Mr J Gardner-Hopkins, Mr J Marriner, and Ms R Balasingam for New Zealand King Salmon (King Salmon) Mr P Beverley and Mr D Allen to assist the Board Ms K Muller, Ms E Jamieson and Ms S Bradley for the Minister of Conservation Mr W Heal for Sustain Our Sounds, Friends of Nelson Haven and Tasman Bay and Nelson Underwater Club Mr S Quinn and Mr B Lupton for the Marlborough District Council Ms B Tree for the Environmental Defence Society Mr J Ironside for the Pelorus Wildlife Sanctuaries, J & R Buchanan, H Elkington and whānau Mr M Hardy-Jones for Mr and Mrs Halstead Ms S Grey for Pelorus Boating Club and others Board of Inquiry – New Zealand King Salmon (Final Report and Decision).doc (rp) 2 Mr Caddie for the Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association Mr C Soderberg Mr B Plaisier for Tui Nature Reserve Wildlife Park and Wildlife Trust Mr F Hippolite for Ngati Koata Trust Board Ms W McGuinness for McGuinness Institute Mr S Browning Mr D Boulton for Sustain our Sounds and Danny & Lyn Boulton and family Mr J Brabant for Yachting New Zealand and Waikawa Boating Club 40 Mr J Winchester and Mr H Harwood for Interislander (Kiwi Rail) Limited Mrs J Hadley for East Bay Conservation Society Ms K Ertel for Te Atiawa ki Manawhenua Te Tau Ihu Trust Mr T Bennion for Tauhuaroa-Watson Whanau Date: 22 February 2013 ___________________________________________________________________ FINAL REPORT AND DECISION OF THE BOARD OF INQUIRY ___________________________________________________________________ 3 DETERMINATION A. The Plan Change 1. The Plan Change request is approved in part by allowing the Plan Change with respect to the proposed Papatua, Ngamahau, Waitata and Richmond Zones. 2. The Plan Change request is rejected in part by declining the Plan Change with respect to the proposed Kaitapeha, Ruaomoko, Kaitira and Tapipi farms. 3. The Plan Change is to be in accordance with Appendix 3 of this decision, but as amended by: (a) deleting all matters referring to the proposed Kaitapeha, Ruaomoko, Kaitira andTapipi farms; (b) substituting the word [eight] with [four]; and (c) deleting the proposed Prohibited Activity Rule in Clause 16 and substituting it with the following as a new bullet point in Rule 35.5 Non-Complying Activities: “Marine farms within Coastal Marine Zone 3 other than marine farming provided for under Rule 35.4.2.10.1.” B. The Concurrent Resource Consents 1. The resource consent application for Papatua is granted in terms of the Conditions of Consent as set out in Appendix 8. 2. The resource consent application for Waitata is granted in terms of the Conditions of Consent as set out in Appendix 9. 4 3. The resource consent application for Richmond is granted in terms of the Conditions of Consent as set out in Appendix 10. 4. The resource consent application for Ngamahau is granted in terms of the Conditions of Consent as set out in Appendix 11. 5. Because of the complexity of the Conditions of Consent and the number of iterative changes that have occurred since the commencement of the hearing, leave is given to the Marlborough District Council to apply within one week from receipt of this decision for amendments to correct any minor mistakes or defects C. The White Horse Rock Application 1. The resource consent application for White Horse Rock is declined. 5 VOLUME ONE TABLE OF CONTENTS DETERMINATION ...................................................................................................... 3 A. The Plan Change ............................................................................................. 3 B. The Concurrent Resource Consents ................................................................ 3 C. The White Horse Rock Application ................................................................ 4 PREAMBLE ................................................................................................................ 13 THE COMMENTS ...................................................................................................... 14 CONCLUSION ON COMMENTS ............................................................................. 28 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 29 THE PLAN CHANGE ................................................................................................ 31 Context - Operative Plan and Changes Sought ....................................................... 31 Volume 1 – Issues, Objectives, Policies and Methods ........................................... 33 Issues .................................................................................................................. 33 Objectives ........................................................................................................... 33 Policies ............................................................................................................... 33 Volumes 2 & 3 – Rules and Planning Maps ........................................................... 35 Rules ................................................................................................................... 35 Definitions .......................................................................................................... 36 Prohibited Activities .......................................................................................... 37 Standards ............................................................................................................ 38 Non-Compliance with Standards ....................................................................... 39 Assessment Criteria ............................................................................................ 39 THE CONCURRENT RESOURCE CONSENT APPLICATIONS .......................... 40 What is Sought ........................................................................................................ 40 Conditions of Consent ............................................................................................ 41 Adaptive Management ............................................................................................ 44 THE WHITE HORSE ROCK APPLICATION .......................................................... 45 PRE-HEARING PROCESS ........................................................................................ 45 Friend of the Submitter ........................................................................................... 45 Facilitation Meetings .............................................................................................. 45 Caucusing of Experts .............................................................................................. 45 Submissions ............................................................................................................ 46 THE HEARING .......................................................................................................... 48 CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS BY BOARD AND DRAFT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 149P OF THE RMA ...................................................... 49 OVERVIEW OF STATUTORY BASIS FOR DECISION ........................................ 51 Part II of the Resource Management Act................................................................ 51 The Statutory Instruments ....................................................................................... 53 The New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement (Coastal Policy Statement) .......... 53 The Marlborough Regional Policy Statement (Regional Policy Statement) ..... 55 The Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan (the Sounds Plan) ....... 56 The Nelson-Marlborough Conservation Management Strategy ........................ 57 The Ngati Koata Management Plan ................................................................... 57 PRINCIPLE ISSUES IN CONTENTION ................................................................... 58 Legal Matters .......................................................................................................... 58 Contested Effects .................................................................................................... 59 OVERARCHING LEGAL MATTERS ...................................................................... 60 The Legal Context .................................................................................................. 60 6 The Process ............................................................................................................. 61 Privatisation of Public Space – Rights to use Public Water Space ......................... 62 The Takutai Moana Act .........................................................................................