Call for protection zones around vineyards
The Waitaki Winegrowers Association is calling on the Waitaki District Council to urgently establish a designated winegrowing protection zone in the proposed district plan, warning that the region's internationally recognised viticulture is at risk from incompatible land use.
In a statement released last week the association proposed the introduction of 1km protection zones around all vineyard perimeters in the Waitaki Valley.
The zones would act as buffers to protect the area's 45 hectares of grapevines from threats such as airborne pathogens, chemical spray drift, dairy effluent, and other contaminants that could irreversibly damage vine health and fruit quality.
"Millions of dollars have already been invested into vineyard development in the Waitaki Valley," Waitaki Winegrowers committee chairman and Otiake winemaker Grant Taylor said.
The Waitaki region has garnered a strong reputation for producing premium cool-climate wines, grown in limestone-rich soils at the foot of the Southern Alps.
According to the association, viticulture now plays a vital role in the region's rural economy and agricultural diversity, with both wine tourism and exports continuing to grow.
"This is a small, localised area of highly specialised land that can — and must — be protected under the district plan. It would be short-sighted not to act now."
The proposed 1km buffer zones would align Waitaki with best-practice planning standards already adopted in other leading wine regions such as Marlborough, Hastings, and Central Otago, where viticulture is recognised as a sensitive land use requiring spatial protection.
"Once damage is done, it's irreversible," Mr Taylor warned.
"Grapevines are long-term crops. They don't recover from exposure to incompatible neighbouring land use. That's why protection under the plan is so urgent and necessary."
"Wine tourism and export markets are growing, and viticulture is a critical pillar of the region's agricultural diversity and rural economy.
"Designating a winegrowing protection zone with clear 1km exclusion buffers would bring Waitaki into line with best-practice planning frameworks adopted in other New Zealand regions such as Marlborough , Hastings, and Central Otago, where viticulture is also recognised as a sensitive land use requiring buffer protection.
He said various members of the Waitaki Wine Growers have all lodged submissions on the issue.
"The association is encouraging the council to act decisively to secure the long-term future of the region's wine industry — one that brings jobs, tourism, international attention, and landscape-compatible development to the Waitaki."
An extended time frame for public submissions closed last month.
WDC heritage and planning manager David Campbell said 315 submissions had been received.
"So this process will take some time and we are considering additional resource to support this important part of the process."
"These were submitted just after the closing date due to the consultation period and cut off coinciding with our busiest and important three months of the season — grape harvest and vintage 2025 which fell over March/April/May for vineyards and winemakers in the valley.
"WDC has receipted the applications to submit and be heard and acknowledged the reason for the late submissions. We expect our members will be heard by the planning panel."
The District Plan lays out the rules for land use and development across Waitaki, and sets out what activities are permitted and what activities will need a resource consents for.
An extended time frame for public submissions closed last month.
"The submissions period has now closed, and the next stage is summarising the submissions, then advertising these for further submissions in the coming months," WDC heritage and planning manager David Campbell said.
"We received 315 submissions, so this process will take some time and we are considering additional resource to support this important part of the process."
andrew.ashton@alliedpress.co.nz
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