14. Use of the Rural Environment Volume One (e) areas with significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna; (f) the values of the coastal environment as set out in Issue 13A of Chapter 13 - Use of the Coastal Environment; or (g) the safe and efficient operation of the land transport network and Marlborough’s airports. Although it is important there is an enabling approach to primary production, it is equally important to ensure that use of rural resources is undertaken in a sustainable manner to address any potential adverse effects on the matters in (a) to (g). Other chapters of the MEP inform how the adverse effects are to be addressed, particularly Chapter 5 - Allocation of Public Resources, Chapter 6 - Natural Character, Chapter 7 - Landscape, Chapter 8 - Indigenous Biodiversity, Chapter 13 - Use of the Coastal Environment, Chapter 15 - Resource Quality and Chapter 17 - Transportation. For primary production activities within the coastal environment, the provisions of Chapter 13 - Use of the Coastal Environment will also be of relevance. [D] Policy 14.1.5 – Require rural subdivisions to provide a minimum of two cubic metres of drinkable water per new allotment, per day. The provisions of the MEP enable a dwelling house to be established on rural properties (including those in the coastal environment) as a permitted activity. This reasonably creates an expectation that there will be sufficient water of adequate quality on the property to provide for an individual’s reasonable domestic needs. Those needs include drinking, other household uses, garden watering and other incidental uses around the household. To ensure that these needs are able to be met, the policy requires any application for a subdivision creating a new allotment(s) where no reticulated water supply is available to demonstrate that each allotment has access to at least two cubic metres of drinkable water per day. The policy does not specify the source of the water or the method of provision, providing the flexibility to determine arrangements appropriate to the circumstances. [D] Policy 14.1.6 – Recognise that the Southern Valleys and Redwood Pass are water short areas and that subdivision and residential activity in these areas needs to be assessed to determine the amount of water required and how it is to be sourced for domestic or stock water supply. In some areas within the rural environment, there is a known issue with the availability of water for domestic or stock water supply. The two identified areas in this policy have historically been acknowledged as water short areas. Applications for subdivision or for residential activity (for seasonal worker accommodation) will need to be assessed through a discretionary activity consent to determine the amount of water required to service the subdivision or residential activity and importantly, from where the water is to be sourced. [D] Policy 14.1.7 – Recognise that primary production activities in rural environments may result in effects including noise, dust, smell and traffic generation, but that these will require mitigation where they have a significant adverse effect on the environment. The inherent nature of land-based primary production activities means that intermittently high noise levels will be produced when agricultural machinery is being used, stock is being moved or held, or crop protection mechanisms are activated. These activities may also result in increased odour and dust levels, in some cases reduced air quality and at times increased traffic generation. This policy acknowledges this while requiring action to be taken to mitigate these effects where they will have significant impacts on the environment. This will see the use of standards for permitted activities to ensure that primary production activities are undertaken in a sustainable manner. 14 – 4