Regional council's One Plan to be launched | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

The final version of Horizons' One Plan launched this week will be less draconian than many farmers expect, regional council chairman Garrick Murfitt says.

The plan largely leaves the Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) and a tougher rule on vegetation clearing to combat hill country erosion.

It's arguably harder on dairy farms, requiring all new dairy conversions to get resource consent.

And existing dairy farms in "priority catchments" in the Tararua, Manawatu and Horowhenua districts require consent to continue operating. About 400 of the region's 1000 dairy farms are in these catchments and having a measurably bad impact on water quality.

Mr Murfitt said there had been a lot of ill-informed comment about the One Plan for the last two years but in many months of hearings and prehearings the submitters had "a solid conversation" with planners.

There were 80 hearing days for submitters to put their views to the independent panel that made the final decisions - decisions Mr Murfitt said were fair and practical.

Asked whether a softer approach would mean fewer environmental gains, he said gains could be increased by working with the people.

The One Plan is to last 10 years and replaces at least six other "first generation" plans. It cost nearly $8 million and took five years to complete. It may take more years to come into effect, which will only happen after any appeals have been completed.

Submitters have 60 days to study the 3000-page four-volume document and appeal against it. Appeals could be dealt with by mediation, and would go to the Environment Court as a last resort.

Horizons Regional Council's previous plans had a total of 173 rules. The One Plan has reduced them to 131.

It addressed four main problems, regulatory manager Greg Carlyon said. They are deteriorating water quality, increasing water use, reductions in biodiversity and hill country erosion.

The SLUI and a new rule about clearing more than 1ha of steep land a year were the main thrust to make hill country farming sustainable.

Horizons staff are to continue assessing proposed clearances and granting consent on the spot, at no cost to landowners.

Significant plant and animal habitats in the large Horizons region have been identified, and consent will be needed for activities likely to impact on them.

"This is a really big shift for a regional council that was not working in this space previously," Mr Carlyon said.

Water use in the region has doubled since 1997, mainly with increased takes by intensive dairy farmers. People will now be able to draw off more water, but all uses will be counted and the water must be used efficiently.

Water quality has deteriorated as nitrogen, phosphorous, faecal matter and sediment hit the waterways from farms, especially intensive dairy farms.

These need resource consent if they are in areas with particular water quality problems, and heavy fertiliser users must have nutrient budgets.

To ask for a copy of the plan or find out how it will affect you, phone 0508 800 800.

UNDER THE ONE PLAN

Existing dairy farms in "priority catchments" require consent to operate.

All new dairy conversions require consent.

Nutrient budgets required for anyone applying more than 60kg nitrogen per hectare per year.

Consent required to clear more than 1ha of land a year (down from 2ha) if it slopes 28 degrees or more and has 70 per cent canopy cover.

Consent required for activities that will harm biodiversity in significant habitats.

Consent required for people using over 30cu m of surface water or over 50cu m of ground water a day (up from 15 and 30cu m respectively).

Land use consents not required for cropping, market gardening or irrigated sheep and beef farming.