Nelson/Tasman Development Plan

Donald from Upper Moutere

Everyone should have a close look at the Nelson/Tasman Development Plan and respond during the consultation period.

In particular residents of the Moutere hills should look at the proposal to develop 200+ha of farmland to urban style housing. This tract of land is Rural 1 located between the Moutere Hwy and Tasman View Road. Very oddly it is being described as part of a “new” settlement based on Tasman Village (5km away!). Tasman Village itself is scheduled for further development.

For years the Council has proclaimed that productive farmland should be preserved from development, and when the Rural 3 area was created we were told that would allow controlled development along the coastal strip and take pressure off encroachment of development into inland farmland. But the first time a land speculator/developer puts up a proposal council planners cave.

Council planners accept that this development is not needed to meet projected population growth/housing needs.

This is the thin end of a wedge that could be the beginning of the destruction of the rural nature of the Moutere hills. Farmland is important for the future economic benefit of the whole area, it should not be sacrificed to speculators.

Ratepayers/residents need to make their voices heard if we are to preserve our productive land for the benefit of future generations.