Volume One 9. Public Access and Open Space 9. Public Access and Open Space Introduction Two regionally significant elements of community wellbeing in Marlborough are the ability for the public to gain access to our rivers, lakes, high country and coast (including the coastal marine area) and enjoy areas of open space for recreation and other purposes, whether in urban or rural environments. Public access is very important in resource management terms, as Section 6(d) of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) requires as a matter of national importance public access to and along the coastal marine area, lakes and rivers to be maintained and enhanced. Being able to enjoy and access marine, freshwater and high country areas is also important in maintaining and enhancing amenity values (Section 7(c) of the RMA). The Walking Access Act 2008 also affects public access around New Zealand. This Act is intended to enhance and extend walking access throughout New Zealand. The New Zealand Walking Access Commission implements the Act and provides leadership on walking access issues. The Commission maps walking access routes, provides information to the public, has developed a code of responsible conduct, assists with dispute resolution and negotiates new walking access. In Marlborough there is a high public expectation to be able to access and use coastal areas, as there are some 1,800 kilometres of coastline in the district, a large proportion of which occurs in the intricate waterways of the Marlborough Sounds. Public access to the coast in Marlborough is already relatively well established, with over 900 kilometres already accessible through Sounds Foreshore Reserve, legal road and esplanade reserves. Access is generally freely available, though in some areas is difficult because of land ownership or physical constraints. In some areas, public access is restricted for conservation or health and safety reasons. In high country areas, public access is sometimes through legal routes on land administered by the Crown or the Council. However, often the areas for which access is sought, such as high country parcels, rivers and streams, can only be reached through private property and at the discretion of the landowner. Areas of open space, including land administered by the Department of Conservation and reserves for recreation and other purposes, also contribute significantly to the quality of life experienced by Marlborough residents. These open space areas (both land and water) range from the relatively undeveloped to the highly modified and managed. Most are in public ownership or control, although some land is privately protected. Collectively or individually, open space areas are valued by people for ecological, amenity, landscape or recreational purposes. Areas of open space that are more developed are usually readily accessible to the public and include public landscaped areas, playing fields, parks and play areas, legal roads, river reserves in towns. The degree of development is complementary, necessary or appropriate to the use and enjoyment of the open space. For example there may be community facilities that provide for or encourage recreation, such as halls, jetties, clubrooms or pavilions, courts and swimming pools. Other development may also provide amenity, such as footpaths, seating, lighting, monuments and plaques, or help in the management of an area, such as signs and bollards. However, a significant part of Marlborough’s open space comprises areas in a more natural or undeveloped state and include forests, wetlands, waterbodies and waterways. Areas of open space often show high levels of natural character. For example, the substantial open space resources that exists in the Marlborough Sounds and on Molesworth Station are significant 9 – 1