Wairau/ Awatere Resource Management Plan recognised method of land management. This Plan applies the use of subdivision as a tool to assist in the management of the urban land resource and its supporting infrastructure. To deal with change and depending on the scale of potential effects and the nature of the issues relating to sustainable management of natural and physical resources the Council will employ the tools most appropriate to the circumstances. More particularly, for complex situations such as accommodating the flow on effects to the settlements of Picton, Ward and Seddon that may occur if an inter-island rail and passenger terminal is established in Clifford Bay, the Council will where necessary make changes to the Plan if that development proceeds following a detailed resource study. 11.2 Residential Environments Enabling people and communities to provide for their residential needs is one of the Council’s functions under the Act. However, this can only be done while addressing the needs of future generations, the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems, and the adverse environmental effects of activities. The Council must also have regard to a number of other matters contained within Part II of the Act, including: • The efficient use and development of natural and physical resources; • The maintenance and enhancement of amenity values; and • The maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the environment. Residential activities occupy the largest area of the urban environment, so it is important to recognise and provide for these. The Blenheim urban area is the single largest residential area within the Wairau/ Awatere Plan area and the Marlborough District. Other smaller residential areas within the Wairau/ Awatere include Renwick, Spring Creek, Grovetown, Tuamarina, Rarangi, Seddon, Ward and Wairau Valley. Within the urban areas there are large tracts of land such as the Waterlea Racecourse and Lansdowne Park which are currently privately owned recreational facilities. It is expected that in the longer term these may not always be regarded as appropriate locations for these facilities and that the land will ultimately be given over to residential use. Given the size and location of these tracts of land it is expected that any future development of them should be dealt with by way of plan changes. Plan changes would provide the greatest flexibility to determine the appropriate mix of residential, commercial, and recreational zoning. In the interim the land has been given a rural zoning to enable the existing uses to continue. 11.2.1 Issues The issues identified in relation to the residential environment are: • The need to plan for and manage the effects of the existing residential environment, infill development and possible future residential expansion; • The effects of residential and non-residential activities on the residential environment; • Protecting the character and amenity of residential environments; 11 - 2