22 Nov 2018

People have two months to have their say on the future of 45 privately owned baches on public land at Taylors Mistake, Hobsons Bay and Boulder Bay.

Christchurch City Council today approved that there be public consultation on a proposal for licensing some of the baches.

Some of the baches at Taylors Mistake.

Some of the baches at Taylors Mistake.

Working Party Chairperson, Councillor Sara Templeton, said the proposal would mean most baches could stay but a few would have to go.

Baches have been a feature of the landscape at Taylors Mistake, Hobsons Bay and Boulder Bay for more than 120 years. They occupy a strip of land along the coast designated as public road reserve, which allows public access to the land.

Cr Templeton said staff reporting to the Working Party had taken a fresh look at the baches and had been in talks with bach owners and other interested parties throughout 2018.

Under the proposal, the Council would offer a 35-year licence for baches with heritage value, except where there is moderate to high risk from natural hazards. This would apply to baches noted in the District Plan as heritage items and to baches that would meet that criteria if assessed.

Owners of those baches would be able to use them for temporary holiday accommodation.

Of the remaining baches, where no licence is offered, some owners are eligible to move their bach to a privately owned parcel of land at Taylors Mistake (the new bach zone). If not eligible, their bach would need to be demolished (subject to resource consent, if it is a listed heritage item in the District Plan).

“During our recent public discussion phase of the consultation we heard very clearly that many people like the baches and want them to stay. People told us they valued the baches most for their heritage value, and our proposal takes that view into account,” Cr Templeton said.

“I now encourage anyone with an opinion on the future of the baches to share it with us by participating in the consultation.”

The consultation opens online from tomorrow, via Have Your Say, and runs until 14 January.

Staff will be available to answer questions, with three public drop-in sessions planned in December and January. Copies of the consultation document will be available at Council libraries and service centres from next week.