The draft Manorburn Dam Recreation Reserve Management Plan has been approved by the Vincent Community Board and will be available for public submissions from next week for two months.
The Central Otago District Council sought community suggestions for the reserve during October-November last year through the Let’s Talk platform where people were invited to provide suggestions on how they thought the Manorburn Dam Recreation Reserve could be used in the future to inform the direction of the draft reserve management plan. A total of 68 responses were received.
At the Vincent Community Board meeting today held at Clyde (Tuesday 4 February 2025) the next steps in the public consultation were outlined, namely gathering community submissions to help determine the future of the reserve.
The reserve management plan details the planting, tree removal, proposed zoning, formalisation around the access, parking and other tracks and other reserve enhancement work. To ensure the plan reflects community values, the community will be asked to submit on whether to allow freedom camping and give their preferred option:
Option A: Prohibit camping within the reserve to reduce potential environmental impacts and ensure the area remains pristine.
Option B: Permit self-contained camping only within Zone A1, allowing limited camping opportunities with strict conditions to minimize environmental harm.
In addition, feedback indicated that the community did not want motorcross and four-wheel driving on the reserve. As this land is set aside under the Reserves Act 1977 for specific purposes, and motorcross and four-wheel driving is inconsistent with the General Purposes of the Act, the draft management plan therefore recommends that: Four-wheel driving and motorcross will be prohibited within the Reserve entirely to preserve its natural and recreational values.
It is noted that the reserve management plan provides high level policy framework for what can and cannot occur within the reserve.
The next phase following its adoption will be the preparation of a development plan that will provide more detail on how the reserve will be developed within the policies and objectives set out in the reserve management plan. Community input will be sought on this as well.
The Draft Manorburn Dam Recreation Reserve Management Plan is open for submissions from 10 February to 7 April 2025. All submissions will be heard by the Vincent Community Board. For a submission form go to: Manorburn Dam Recreation Reserve Management Plan | Let’s Talk Central Otago.
The draft plan will be made available online and in hard copy at the Alexandra Service Centre and library throughout the consultation period. Recommendations from the hearing will be incorporated into the final reserve management plan, for approval by the Central Otago District Council.
