We have worked with the Lyttelton Reserve Management Committee and the community to update the development plan for Urumau Reserve.
Project status: Decision made
Open for feedback: 15 August 2017 to 4 September 2017
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Project decision
At a meeting on Monday 13 August the Banks Peninsula Community Board approved the 2018 Urumau Reserve Development Plan [PDF, 1.8 MB].
Consultation now closed
Consultation on the Urumau Reserve Development Plan has now closed. People were able to provide feedback from 15 August to 4 September 2017.
During this time we heard from 625 individuals and groups.
To the east above Lyttelton, in the area of mana whenua Ngati Wheke, Urumau Reserve forms a diverse planted backdrop to the town. Mountain bike and walking tracks cross the reserve, and a poled walking route links to the Port Hills track network. Native planting, passive regeneration, conifer plantation, and pest control are key management priorities.
What we are doing and why
We are working to put together a development plan that balances the need to:
- improve recreational and educational opportunities
- increase public access and use of the reserve
- enhance the town’s natural landscape and birdlife
- control weeds on the reserve
In doing this we need to consider
- walking & mountain bike path network and signs
- managing, planting and protecting vegetation
- access to adjacent Lyttelton Port Company land
- fire and rock fall hazard protection
- pedestrian access to the Timeball station - possible route shown below
The Draft Development Plan [PDF, 1.8 MB] for consultation shows existing and potential access points into the Reserve, a network and hierarchy of paths, existing and future signage, and a variety of vegetation cover.
Key features of the proposal
Tracks
The proposal shows a range of existing and proposed recreational tracks:
Red solid and broken lines show existing and proposed walking tracks
Blue solid and broken lines show existing and proposed mountain bike use.
Yellow solid and broken lines show existing and proposed shared tracks for both walking and mountain biking. Uphill mountain biking only is also indicated on some of these tracks.
A walking route extends into Lyttelton Port Company land, providing access to Port Hills walkways on adjacent reserves.
Dogs ‘under effective control are currently allowed in the reserve.
Access points
New access points to the reserve are proposed at :
- 18 Gilmour Terrace for mountain bikes only
- 12 Foster Terrace for shared recreational use (pedestrians and mountain bikes—uphill only )
- 24 Foster Terrace for pedestrian access only
- the Timeball Station site for shared use (pedestrians and controlled mountain bike use)
The aim is to find more ways to separate walking use from mountain bike use. The photo below shows the potential location of a pedestrian access point from Gilmour Terrace.
Signs and barriers
Appropriate barriers and signs will be needed at the access points to the reserve.
Vegetation cover
Vegetation cover is shown in four distinct areas on the plan.
1. Fire buffer, using fire resistant native plants.
2. Areas to be re-planted with Port Hills Ecological District, Lyttelton Harbour zone, sourced plants.
3. Existing pine and macrocarpa established forest with understorey establishment of bird-distributed native seedlings.
4. An area of open grassland managed through passive regeneration of native plants. From here there are views out to the township and beyond.
The Lyttelton Track Network Plan [PDF, 5.3 MB] shows the relationship of Urumau Reserve to adjoining public open space and path networks around Lyttleton.
The 25.78 hectare reserve is contained by Sumner Road on the eastern boundary, Gilmour Terrace and Foster Terrace to the west and Port Company land to the north.
What is a recreation reserve?
Under the Reserves Management Act, ‘a recreation reserve is to be managed for the purpose of providing areas for the recreation and sporting activities and the physical welfare and enjoyment of the public, and for the protection of the natural environment and beauty of the countryside, with emphasis on the retention of open spaces and on outdoor recreational activities, including recreational tracks in the countryside’.
Native plant and bird life
The reserve is home to a range of birdlife and several indigenous eco– systems ranging from dry and rocky to more humid higher slopes where a greater range of drought –tolerant trees and shrubs survive, the reserve also harbours colonies of nationally endangered plants?
Archaeology
Three Polhill’s Bay shooting ranges, dating from 1866 and used by the Lyttelton Volunteer Artillery, have been identified at Urumau and on the Port Company land. One of these is shown below.
Sumner Road access
We considered a request for mountain bike access from the reserve onto Sumner Road. Although desirable, this (and any access from the reserve to Sumner Road), was excluded because of safety concerns.
The road will carry a significant proportion of heavy goods vehicles including oversize vehicles, and there are sections where there is limited forward visibility for drivers.
Road width is also highly constrained by the rock bluff on the inside and steep slopes on the outer edge. This means there is no space for an adjacent walking path, nor a safety margin for mountain bikers using Sumner Road.
Next steps
When community consultation closes, staff will work with the Reserve Management Committee to consider all the feedback and finalise a plan for Community Board approval.
We will get back to submitters with a summary of consultation, the final plan (including any proposed changes), and details of the decision meeting.
Following adoption of the revised development plan, budgets (allowing for any consents needed to do the work) will be put forward in the upcoming Draft Long Term Plan for Council consideration.
More information about the reserve
The staff Development Plan Report [PDF, 545 KB] contains more background and information to the plan.
The existing Urumau Development Plan [PDF, 7.4 MB].
Drop in information session
Please join us at an informal drop-in information session any time between 7.00pm and 9.00pm on Monday 28 August at the Banks Peninsula Board Rooms, 25 Canterbury Street Lyttelton.
Please make sure your comments reach us by 5.00pm, Monday 4 September 2017
Your feedback will help us make sure the development plan for the reserve is updated to better reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.