March 04, 2014
Council to facilitate iwi contact
Auckland Council says it will contact iwi on behalf of resource consent applicants, rather than expecting them to track down the appropriate mana whenua iwi themselves.
The appointment of facilitators comes amidst mounting criticism of the way Maori heritage is being dealt with in the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.
The plan requires applicants to ask iwi for a Cultural Impact Assessment if their consent has an environmental impact such as discharges to air or water that may have an adverse impact on Mana Whenua values, or if it is near one of the 3600 sites that have been identified as being significant to Maori.
Roger Blakely, the council’s chief planning officer, says an increasing focus on protection for Auckland’s cultural heritage and values means more people are now likely to need the assessments when developing or modifying their properties.
Dr Blakely says the council is working closely with iwi to find the right balance.
He says a cultural impact assessment is not a consent but is advice the council needs to take into account when making its decision.
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