Parks and reserves management plans

The Barrett Domain Management Plan has been developed to identify appropriate uses and activities at Barrett Domain and assist with day to day management and decision making.  It sets out objectives and policies for the use, development and protection of the area. This management plan should be viewed as a community document that provides certainty about the future function, development and management of Barrett Domain.

The 40 hectare Barrett Domain comprises of 18 hectares of scenic reserve and 22 of recreation reserve.  The 13 land parcels comprising the domain all being subject to the Reserves Act 1977.

The reserve is located on the south west edge of New Plymouth city and includes a small lake (Barrett Lagoon), two bush areas with walking tracks, a kauri plantation forest, farm areas that are grazed and a centre for the local Riding for the Disabled Area (RDA).  Barrett Lagoon is classified as a Regionally Significant Wetland under the Taranaki Regional Council’s Fresh Water Plan and it is listed as a Key Native Ecosystem with high biodiversity values.  The farmland that once completely surrounded the domain, has incrementally been subdivided into residential properties, which now border about 60 per cent of the domain’s perimeter. 

The domain is named after Richard (Dicky) Barrett, an English pioneer who owned land that comprises the northern part of the lagoon and the western part of Rayward’s Bush.  This land was added to the reserve in 1969 and follows the initial Crown acquisition of land in 1904, and at which time the domain was Rotokare.

The management plan was approved by the Council at their meeting on 22 August 2013.

The Cemeteries Management Plan has been developed to identify appropriate uses and activities within each cemetery and assist with day to day management and decision making. It sets out objectives and policies in order to provide guidance to us and community about how these reserves will be managed and developed.

This plan sets out objectives and policies for each reserve in order to provide guidance about how these reserves will be managed. This plan fulfils the requirements for a reserve management plan under the Reserves Act 1977.

This document should be read in conjunction with the NPDC General Policies for Reserves (2006). Where any matter is addressed by both this document and the general policies, then the provisions in this document will take precedence.

The Coastal Reserves Management Plan (CRMP) only addresses those reserves administered by NPDC under the Reserves Act 1977. It does not address reserves administered by the Department of Conservation. The following Council-managed reserves are also excluded from the draft plan:

• Ngamotu Beach, which is owned by Port Taranaki.
• Waitara Marine Park, which is not subject to the Reserves Act 1977 and is part of the old Waitara Harbour Board land.
• Tongaporutu which already has a reserves management plan (completed in 2004).

The preparation of the CRMP has been timed to coincide with the preparation of structure plans for the communities of Oakura and Urenui, to ensure that these plans are consistent with one another and to make use of information gathered through consultation. Structure plans for Oakura and Urenui are components of the Coastal Strategy process.

The Green Spaces Management Plan has been developed to identify appropriate uses and activities of existing small reserve areas in the district. The Plan guides day to day management and future development in each reserve area, providing clarity on the purpose and intended uses of each reserve, and service levels that can be expected.

The 93 reserve areas included in the Plan are predominately located along stream or river banks or are pockets of reserve land that are not covered through an existing reserve management plan. There are four major groups of reserve types:

• Reserves with walking tracks and open spaces located in New Plymouth and Bell Block;
• Riverbank reserves in Bell Block, Inglewood and Tarata domain and Uruti Domain currently accessed by the community;
• Isolated riverbank reserves that are in both well used areas as well as pastoral areas that do not have walking tracks or other reserve development.
• Small miscellaneous reserve areas in New Plymouth City that do not currently have reserve management plans in place, such as Brois Street Reserve

Reserve management plan information is also available through the web-based map viewer.

Significant historical research has gone into plan development, including consideration of Māori interests.

The management plan was approved by the Council on 26 February 2019.

The Historic Reserves Management Plan has been developed to identify appropriate uses and activities within each historic reserve and assist with day to day management and decision making and is a statutory document prepared under the Reserve Act 1977.

Recreational areas are highly valued by the communities in New Plymouth district and have an important role. They contribute to the quality of life of local residents and enhance the visitor experience.

The Lake Mangamahoe Management Plan has been developed to identify appropriate uses and activities at Lake Mangamahoe and assist with day to day management and decision making. It sets out objectives and policies for the use, development and protection of the area.

This management plan should be viewed as a community document that provides certainty about the future function, development and management of Lake Mangamahoe.

The plan recognises that the primary purpose for the Council holding land at Mangamahoe is for water catchment or forestry; these purposes take precedence over any recreational activities. The New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) Bylaw 2008, Part 15 Water Supply, identifies the land at Lake Mangamahoe as a catchment area with restrictions on activities.

Development of this draft management plan has taken into consideration the views of users, stakeholders and other affected parties. Where appropriate policies and objectives from the Forest Leisure Plan 2000 have also been considered.

This plan should be read in conjunction with the NPDC General Policies for Reserves (2006). Where any matter is addressed by this document and the general policies, then the provisions in this document must take precedence.

Although Lake Mangamahoe is not held as a reserve under the Reserves Act 1977, it is proposed a similar process as that required for reserves is used for the preparation of this management plan. The management plan refers to Lake Mangamahoe as a park, the definition not being a legal one but of common usage; of a large public area of land used for recreation.

The management plan was approved by the New Plymouth District Council at their meeting on 14 December 2011.