Volume One 9. Public Access and Open Space the land for which access is sought, such as high country parcels and river margins, can only be reached through private property. For the coastal environment, public access is important from the land to the coastal edge, within the coastal marine area, from the sea to the land and along the foreshore itself. Although many public roads run near the coast, private ownership of land between the road and the coast can be a significant barrier to public access. Additionally, it is important that structures within the coastal marine area itself are not sited in areas or constructed in any way that creates an adverse effect on access. General [RPS] Policy 9.1.1 – The following areas are identified as having a high degree of importance for public access and the Marlborough District Council will as a priority focus on enhancing access to and within these areas: (a) Wairau River from State Highway 63 bridge to the sea; (b) high priority waterbodies for public access on the Wairau Plain and in close proximity to Picton, Waikawa, Havelock, Renwick, Seddon, Ward and Okiwi Bay; (c) coastal marine area, particularly in and near Picton, Waikawa and Havelock, Kaiuma Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound (including Tory Channel), Port Underwood, Kenepuru Sound, Mahau Sound, Mahikipawa Arm and Croiselles Harbour, Rarangi to the Wairau River mouth, Wairau Lagoons, Marfells Beach and Ward Beach; (d) connections would be made with other public land (including esplanade reserves) or other land where esplanade strips or access strips already exist; and (e) the Queen Charlotte Track. Some areas within Marlborough have historically had a high degree of importance for public access. This is because they are often near significant sources of population, such as the waterbodies on the Wairau Plain, or are coastal sites with a long history of public use. This policy provides a long term focus for the Council to enhance access in these areas. Enhanced access may result from the acquisition (or purchase) of esplanade reserves or esplanade strips through subdivision or development. There may also be opportunities, through physical works such as walking or cycling tracks or through liaison with landowners, to enhance access. In some cases, this may lead to the need for additional infrastructure to manage the effects of enhanced public access (e.g. the provision of public toilets). [RPS, C, D] Policy 9.1.2 – In addition to the specified areas in Policy 9.1.1, the need for public access to be enhanced to and along the coastal marine area, lakes and rivers will be considered at the time of subdivision or development, in accordance with the following criteria: (a) there is existing public recreational use of the area in question, or improving access would promote outdoor recreation; (b) connections between existing public areas would be provided; (c) physical access for people with disabilities would be desirable; and (d) providing access to areas or sites of cultural or historic significance is important. In addition to the priority areas identified in Policy 9.1.1, there may be other locations where it is appropriate to enhance public access. This policy sets out those circumstances to be considered in any application where a land use activity or subdivision requiring resource consent adjoins the 9 – 3 20170613110600 33498 DEBUG output/bookmarks.c: line 179: failed to get page number 355 cmd='/usr/bin/pdf2htmlEX' z-marlborough-district-council/june-2017/proposed-marlborough-environment-plan-volume-1/publication/contents/media-html/pages/385/original.pdf s.xml