Thirty years after the Resource Management Act (RMA) came into effect, some mooring owners across the district have been told their moorings are illegal under the RMA 1991.

Most of the district's moorings were established at the time when the Harbours Act 1950 enabled them. Since the RMA 1991, those original rights expired, and now a resource consent must be obtained or owners will forfeit their right to the moorings. 

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) media and channels advisor Sam White said moorings had not been under council management until July 2021, and in the time since it has been reviewing the mooring permit process it found that resource consents had not been requested when mooring permits were renewed.

“This identified some process improvements around how we consider these permit applications in light of council bylaws, policies and Resource Management and Building Act requirements,” he said. 

Queenstown Lakes District Council is contacting mooring owners advising them their moorings require resource consent.

Local mooring owners have been upset to hear that they have been paying permit fees to the QLDC on what are now deemed illegal moorings and that they have to apply for resource consent in order to maintain their mooring permits.

Around 20 owners attended a meeting in August concerned about the cost and time it would take to secure resource consents, resolving to contact the QLDC with a view to opening up a negotiation for obtaining retrospective consents to legalise their moorings.

“It’s important we work with individual owners so that all the information we hold about their mooring is accurate, and also to ensure they’re aware of their responsibilities under the relevant legislation and bylaws,” Sam said. 

“Hence we are open to discussions with groups of owners as well as individuals and answering any questions they have collectively along the way to gaining their individual resource consents.”

“Having said that, resource consent is not a new expectation and mooring permits have only ever been granted on a 12-month basis. If mooring owners don’t have a compliant mooring they do have the option of not getting resource consent and relinquishing their mooring permit to council.”

QLDC says it will be conducting a full survey across all lakes in the district over the coming months in tandem with the review of consents themselves, to build a definitive picture of mooring locations, status and ownership including any ad hoc (and therefore illegal) moorings.

PHOTO: Wānaka App