Nelson Mountain Bike Club contracted us to assist in the planning of the club’s trail network extension. To enable the club to complete future development as they desired, we completed the process using an adaptive management framework. This approach ensured that any future construction or developments to the track could be carried out construction management plans rather than requiring individual consent applications. Success of this project was enabled through true collaboration and engagement between a broad range of stakeholders including the local community, Iwi, Department of Conservation (DOC), and land and infrastructure owners. As a result, the club will be able to open new and exciting trails to both members and the general public for years to come.
CLIENT BRIEF/PROJECT CHALLENGES
The Nelson Mountain Bike Club (the Club) is a volunteer driven organisation with over 3,500 members. The Club relies upon donations and paid memberships, to fund maintenance and development of the trail network. Applying for individual resource consents each time the Club wants to develop or maintain the trails was both expensive and time consuming.
We were contracted to manage the planning process, enabling the club to manage future development more cost effectively and efficiently.
Due to the nature of the consent, there was a range of environmental issues to be considered including archaeological sites, reserve land, commercial forestry sites, and land stability. An added complexity is much of the terrain of the proposed tracks was complex and remote.
As well as the environmental issues, there was also a broad range of stakeholders whose concerns needed to be addressed. The stakeholders included the local community, iwi, Department of Conservation (DOC), and land and infrastructure owners.
OUR SOLUTION
We implemented a best practice approach to stakeholder engagement, engaging early with the statutory authority and stakeholders to understand their views and concerns. This approach allowed us to complete extensive research and assessment into the main issues. Utilising an adaptive management framework, each track was able to be thoroughly assessed across a range of criteria.
This framework, alongside the willingness of the client, allowed the project team to address and mitigate any concerns raised by the various stakeholders. We were successful in gaining approval of the non-notified resource consent, providing the club with certainty for future development and maintenance without the need for individual resource consents.
OUTCOME/CLIENT BENEFITS
The club now has the flexibility to plan and progress future development as required, providing their members and the public with new and exciting trails for years to come.
KEY FACTS
Using an adaptive management framework has ensured that any future construction or developments to the tracks can be carried out through development of construction plans rather than additional consenting saving both time and money for the volunteer-driven organisation.
