The Waitomo District Comprehensive Reserve Management Plan (‘the plan’) provides direction for the day-to-day management of reserves and establishes clear direction for future management, and it identifies which reserves will / could have playgrounds on them, reserves for sports and other activities such as markets and things like that.

Council is required under section 41 of the Reserves Act 1977 as an “administering body” to prepare a reserve management plan (RMP) for any reserves under its control, management or administration (please note this RMP does not apply to reserves owned or managed by the Department of Conservation or any other government body). The plan will ensure cohesion between the district plan rules for the open space and natural open space zones.

Council has identified all land in the district that is gazetted as a reserve and that Council is responsible for managing. Many of these reserves do not have a name that is published in the New Zealand Gazette Notice, so Council officers have tried to include a road name as a reference point for unnamed reserves. There will be an opportunity to comment on the names of the reserves during the submission process. 

It is unlikely that the plan will have a significant impact on existing activities on reserves. The purpose of the plan is to provide policy guidance and a rule framework for the management of activities on reserves. The plan was formally adopted by Council at the Council meeting on 27 June 2023. You can read the Waitomo District Comprehensive Reserve Management Plan here (PDF 1.45 MB):

FAQ's for the RMP can be found here:

PUBLIC NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 41 OF THE RESERVES ACT 1977
THE WAITOMO DISTRICT COMPREHENSIVE RESERVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Waitomo District Comprehensive Reserve Management Plan was adopted by Waitomo District Council at the Council meeting on 27 June 2023.

The Waitomo District Comprehensive Reserve Management Plan is now operative and can be found online via the following link here (PDF 1.45 MB):

Dated at Te Kuiti this 6th day of July 2023.

Ben Smit
Chief Executive