Te Ara Tipuna Charitable Trust has requested that processing of its publicly notified resource consent application is suspended while it secures additional funding.

The application is currently suspended under section 91A and 92 of the Resource Management Act 1991. This means the process is on hold and no further steps will take place until the Trust is ready to progress the application.

We appreciate your continued interest and will provide further updates when the next steps are confirmed.  Submitters will also be notified directly at that time.  Note it is now intended that the hearing will proceed in 2026.

The Trust recently provided updated consent application documentation in response to the section 92 request for further information.  The updated application documentation has been uploaded to the notified consents page on our website.
Please note - the application documents may change following a full review of the application and section 92 response once the suspension has been lifted by the Trust.

11 April update - the amended resource consent application for the Te Ara Tipuna trail was expected to be lodged by the applicant on 11 April 2025. Council has been advised that the applicant - Te Ara Tipuna Trust, is not yet in a position to provide the amended application or the full response to Council’s further information request.

The applicant advises that additional time is required to finalise the amended application and associated material, and that lodgment may be delayed by at least 4 weeks or more. Council intends to directly notify all submitters as soon as possible.

26 March 2025 - the Te Ara Tipuna Trust has released a letter notifying submitters of the intention to amend its current notified resource consent application to shorten the proposed walking trail.

The Trust’s proposed amendment will have the effect of terminating the trail on the boundary between Gisborne District Council and Ōpōtiki District Council / Bay of Plenty Regional Council at the township of Potaka. A map of the reduced extent of the trail was attached to the Trust’s letter.

The original application proposed a trail commencing in Gisborne and terminating at Ōpōtiki, passing through the rohe of Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāi Tai ki Tōrere, and Te Whakatōhea.

The amended trail will be within the Ngāti Porou rohe only.

As noted in the Trust’s letter, a formal amendment to the application and further information about the application is currently being prepared by the Trust and is expected to be lodged with Council by 11 April 2025. A hearing will be arranged under the direction of the appointed hearing commissioner panel. Once the amended application and further information is received it will be published on Gisborne District Council’s website.

A copy of the Trust’s letter and Council’s follow up correspondence can be viewed in the application documents section on Council's website. These include information about the proposed amendment and advice on how to withdraw your submission if you believe the change means you are no longer affected by the application.

The original application was advertised in December 2024

Te Ara Tipuna Charitable Trust lodged an application for multiple resource consents to design and construct Stage 1 of the Te Ara Tipuna Trail.

Resource consents are required from Gisborne District Council, Ōpōtiki District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

The trail is proposed to be located across private land including multiple owner land blocks, along road and reserve corridors and the coastal margin.

The Trust has worked on aligning the trail to provide a continuous connection around the coast. The alignment's been determined by the topography, land use, landowner engagement, access and proximity to infrastructure such as roadways, bridges and services such as accommodation and toilets.

It's best to check the interactive map for the proposed trail alignment and property information.

A note about the consent decision

If consent is granted, the Trust will need to negotiate with each directly affected landowner or trustee to secure legal agreement for the trail over any private or multiply owned land.

Any resource consent decision that may be granted does not provide any access rights or authorise the formation or use the trail without the full legal approval and authorisation of the landowner/trustees.