Marlborough District Council has included Meretoto/Ship Cove and Motuara Island as a Heritage Resource in the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan (PMEP). The site had already been identified as having regional and national significance through non-regulatory methods. Including the site in the PMEP has resulted in planning provisions applying to the area, restricting the types of activities that can be undertaken in order to protect its significant cultural and heritage values.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) had already included the site in the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero as a ‘Historic Place Category 1’ (List number 9900). The Category 1 type listing identifies sites as being of ‘special or outstanding historical or cultural significance or value’.
The period for submissions closed on 11 April 2023 with 6 submissions being received by Council. The summary of decisions requested was publicly notified on 22 June 2023.
The period for further
submissions closed on 21 July 2023 with no further submissions being received. A hearing on the Variation was held in February 2024.
On 29 May 2024, the decision on Variation 3 was publicly notified and the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan amended in accordance with the decision.
