The partial review of a Department of Conservation (Doc) strategy document holding up progress on new cycling trails in Otago is missing the "root cause" of the problem, a hearing in Queenstown was told yesterday. Queenstown Trails Trust chief executive Mark Williams said a statutory review requirement in the 2016 Otago conservation management strategy (CMS) effectively blocked new trail proposals for at least 10 years. Doc has had to oppose resource consent applications for cycle trail proposals in the region because they go across land parcels not listed in the Otago CMS. The partial review, for which Doc has received more than 1700 submissions, seeks to address the issue so it can consider new trail proposals. At yesterday’s hearing, which followed a two-day hearing in Wanaka last week, Mr Williams said "nothing was broken" before the 2016 review, and trail proposals were able to be assessed on their merits through a robust consultation process.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 19, 2021 16:30 UTC