Chapter 12 - Rural Environments The rural areas of the Wairau Plain have traditionally been farmed for livestock and intensive cropping. In addition, intensification and diversification of rural farming activities has occurred in the last two decades. This is a result of rural people wishing to either exploit new opportunities or having to because of economic necessity; or because of the influx of people wishing to farm small rural properties and being prepared to try a range of new pastoral and horticultural enterprises. At the same time, there has also been a demand for residential dwellings in the rural area for people wishing to live in and enjoy the rural environment, or people wishing to farm blocks on a part time basis. However, the consequence of the variety of rural activities alongside residential activities in the rural area, means that some farming activities have become the subject of complaints from people residing in the rural areas. Traditional rural activities, such as spreading of manure, crop spraying, late night and early morning use of machinery creating some noise, dust or vibration or even the barking of dogs are perceived by some people as a nuisance. In addition, the noise from bird scarers and wind machines for frost control can become the subject of complaints from people living near intensive horticulture areas. The rural environment has particular amenity and environmental values which are important to rural people. These include privacy, rural outlook, spaciousness, ease of access, clean air and, most of the time, quietness. However, because of the range of activities that necessarily occur in a rural area, there are levels of noise, dust, traffic generation and smell that are an essential part of rural amenity values. Although there is a duty under Section 17 of the Act to avoid, remedy or mitigate any adverse effects, the Council recognises that the principle rural activities inherently involve effects that may not meet the expectations of an urban environment. Urban activities at the rural/ urban interface must expect to compromise their urban amenity expectations where there are justifiable and reasonable effects as a result of primary production activities in the rural environment. 12.2.1.3 Residential, commercial and industrial development. The maintenance of a rural environment is to some extent dependent on the exclusion of “residential” activity, the two being to some extent incompatible. However, given that it is desirable for a number of reasons to have some residential activity in the rural areas it must be accepted that this will to some extent require rural activities to mitigate environmental effects where these have significant adverse effects on residential activity. Some commercial or industrial activity must necessarily be located in rural areas and in particular activities such as the wine/ craft trail are dependent on it, but a general dispersal of business activities to the rural areas can result in a loss of rural amenity values and fragmentation of business areas within settlements with a loss of convenience, accessibility and vitality of business areas. There is a need for people to be able to provide for their economic wellbeing and, therefore, the Plan seeks to enable a wide range of rural land management activities to establish in the rural area, subject to standards and controls to avoid or mitigate any adverse effects. These include farming, forestry, viticulture, horticulture, outdoor recreation, homestay accommodation, home occupations and some commercial activities such as retailing of primary products grown or reared on site or crafts made on site. In allowing these activities to proceed, the Council recognises that standards are needed to protect rural amenity values, as has been discussed earlier. However, industrial activities and other commercial activities, which are not dependent on the land upon which they establish, can have significant adverse impacts on the rural amenity values and environment, irrespective of general standards. 12 - 3