• Remediation of Craggy Range track completed

Remediation of Craggy Range track completed

A special blessing took place at the site of the former Craggy Range track this morning to signal the end of remediation work to restore the land to its original contours.

An application by Hastings District Council for a resource consent to remediate the remaining sections of the Craggy Range track was heard and approved after a hearing in June this year conducted by two independent commissioners.

It followed urgent work conducted in November last year under the Resource Management Act (relating to emergency works) to remove a 500m section at the top of the track, after an independent report identified this area was a risk to public safety.

The work on the final steps of the remediation on the lower slopes has been underway over the past six weeks.

At today’s blessing, attended by iwi, and Hastings District and Hawke’s Bay Regional council representatives, Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst also handed over the documentation related to the area, now proposed to be a new natural reserve, Te Rongo Regional Park.

Mayor Hazlehurst says this has been a challenging time for Council, iwi, hapū and the wider community. 

“The completion of the remediation work is a really positive step forward for everyone, and will allow a new, exciting chapter for the regional park can begin.

 “All of the research for this area, including movement & recreation, ecological features, restoration, agricultural, land use capability, amenities, and cultural assessments, have now been handed over to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, who will use it to form a new park that will become a beautiful space for the whole community to use.

“I would like to acknowledge and thank the members of the Te Mata Track Reference Group, which included iwi, hapū and other community group representatives, who have worked closely together on this project for many months to find a solution to benefit everyone in our district.”

A resource consent application has been submitted for the new Te Rongo Regional Park, and HDC is still awaiting some additional information before it can be approved. 

 

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