Housing seen as threat to coastline

Among the key recommendations in the report, prepared for the Tasman District Council, is a proposal to extend the existing 200m coastal zone further inland in places and protect areas defined as outstanding natural landscapes.

Prepared by Wellington-based landscape consultants Boffa Miskell Ltd, the report assesses the region's coastal landscape qualities and potential development pressures. It identifies three distinct areas - Northwest Coast, Golden Bay and Tasman Bay with Golden Bay singled out as being the most threatened by further rapid development.

The report concludes the biggest threats to those areas to be classified as outstanding natural landscape are from subdivision and rural residential lifestyle housing. It also says Tasman Bay is vulnerable to over-development.

Forest and Bird conservation officer Debs Martin backed the report, saying the landscape and its associated benefits was why people lived in the district.

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