The project
Wetland restoration projects can involve complex consenting requirements, particularly within environmentally sensitive areas. Selwyn District Council (now Selwyn Water Limited) engaged Aqualinc to obtain the resource consents required for wetland restoration and habitat enhancement works within the lower Osbornes Drain area.
The proposed works formed part of a wider wetland restoration programme aimed at enhancing ecological, biodiversity, and mahinga kai values within the lower Osbornes Drain area on the margins of Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.
The Challenge
The restoration programme required multiple resource consents to authorise earthworks within a wetland area, habitat enhancement works within the bed of a river, vegetation clearance, and associated stormwater discharges.
A key challenge was demonstrating that the short-term effects of construction could be appropriately managed while enabling the long-term environmental benefits sought through the restoration programme.
What we did
Aqualinc led the consenting process, preparing the Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) and the supporting planning assessments required for the resource consent application.
Working closely with the client and technical specialists, we assessed potential environmental effects, developed mitigation measures, and compiled the documentation required to support the proposed restoration programme.
Key findings and solutions
The consent application provided the framework for implementing the wetland restoration programme, resulting in a comprehensive set of conditions to manage construction effects and protect ecological, cultural, and environmental values during the delivery of the works.
The granting of the consent enabled the restoration programme to proceed, providing certainty for the delivery of wetland enhancement works within the lower Osbornes Drain area.
Services Provided
- Resource consent strategy and planning advice
- Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE)
- Statutory planning assessment
- Mitigation and environmental management planning
- Resource consent application preparation and management
