Application for a concession by Arahura Holding Limited

Introduction

Have your say on an application by Arahura Holding Limited at Conservation Area Punakaiki Coast Road. Submissions closed Wednesday 16 October 2024.

The Minister of Conservation gives notice under section 17SC of the Conservation Act 1987 of an application by Arahura Holding Limited for a period of 30 years at Conservation Area – Punakaiki – Coast Road to operate and manage an Experience Centre and Exhibition Space and associated infrastructure.

Application details

Applicant: Arahura Holding Limited
Location of proposed activity: Conservation Area Punakaiki Coast Road in the Punakaiki Village, 46 kilometres north of Greymouth on the West Coast.
Concession applied for: Lease, licence and easement

Summary of proposal: 

The new visitor experience and exhibition centre was built as part of the government funded Dolomite Point Redevelopment Project led by DOC. The new facility is known as Punangairi.

Punangairi is a re-build and expansion of the previous visitor centre over a different form and footprint; however, most of the supporting infrastructure is in the same location. The purpose of the re-development was to establish fit-for-purpose visitor facilities (to be owned and managed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae) and secure the future of an important visitor site for the West Coast.

Punangairi is made up of two parts, an experience centre; and an exhibition space (the two are joined by a closed-in pedestrian link ‘bridge’). The experience centre provides a visitor safety and information service focussed on the local area including recreational activities, natural heritage, and history. This service is provided by DOC. The experience centre will also accommodate a retail area (Ngāti Waewae and DOC) including community art vendors, a bookable meeting/conference/events facility, dwell space for visitors, and a food and beverage offering. The exhibition space offers a unique multi-media exhibition (to be known as the ‘Paparoa Experience’) that presents and celebrates the cultural, social, natural, and conservation/environmental stories of the area.

Application documents: 

How to make a submission

Any person or organisation may make a submission in writing to the Director-General on the proposal. The submission must be made on a submission form.

Submissions closed on Wednesday 16 October 2024 at 5:00 pm.

1. Prepare your submission

Record what you think on the submission form.

Any person or organisation wishing to be heard in support of their submission, must request (within that submission) an opportunity to appear before the Director-General.

2. Send us your submission

Send your submission by email or post. You'll get a confirmation email or letter when a submission has been received.

Email: permissionsupdates@doc.govt.nz 

Post:
Director-General
Private Bag 701
Hokitika 7842

Attention: A. Paget, Senior Permissions Advisor

Once submitted, submitters' information is subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and may be released under that Act. If you wish to keep any part of your submission confidential, state this in writing when making your submission.

What happens next

After submissions close:

  1. DOC will analyse and consider all submissions.
  2. A hearing will be held if there have been requests to be heard by the Director-General. If you have expressed an interest in presenting your submission at a hearing, you'll be contacted by DOC regarding this.
  3. DOC will analyse and consider information raised at the hearing if a hearing occurred.
  4. DOC will make a recommendation to the Minister of Conservation.
  5. The Minister of Conservation will make a decision on the application.

Decision

No details at this point. Details, such as submissions and the decision outcome, will be added when they are available.

DOC comment regarding publicly notified applications

The Minister of Conservation has made no determination regarding the suitability of this proposed concession on public conservation land. This public notification should not be interpreted as an intention on the part of the Minister of Conservation to grant the proposed concession.

Contact

If you have a question about the application or the submission process you can contact Ange Paget, Senior Permissions Advisor: permissionsupdates@doc.govt.nz 

Back to top