Draft Town Belt Management Plan - Wellington City Council

greenness and the peaceful, informal character and the public recreation opportunities
provided on the Town Belt.
b. The topography of Wellington means that some private property owners bordering the
Town Belt must, because of the contour, route their stormwater or sewer discharges
across the Town Belt to connect to main Council networks. It is appropriate that such
connections be allowed with the written approval of the Council as manager and trustee
of the Town Belt, provided that the Town Belt is not adversely affected.
c. All existing and future public and private utilities (above and below ground) will to be
accurately mapped and documented.
d. Easements shall be granted for utilities that are located underground in terms of
Section 48 of the Reserves Act.
e. Leases shall be granted for utilities that are located on or above the ground and shall be
for less than 20 years. This period shall include both the term of the current lease and
the term of any right of renewal.
f. Subject to the ability of the Council to do so under relevant legislation concerning
utilities, the Council shall negotiate a lease and charge a market rental for any existing
installations on the Town Belt if the ownership of the utility service or any of its
installations changes. (Existing utilities do not necessarily have easements and/or
leases.)
g. All new utilities and replacement or upgrading of existing utilities shall comply with the
following conditions to the satisfaction of the Council:
(i) The impact of all utilities on Town Belt land and values shall be minimised.
(ii) Utility infrastructure shall be as unobtrusive as practicable with forms appropriate
for the landscape and finished in low reflective colours derived from the
background landscape. Structures will be screened from view through planting
where possible.
(iii) All utility services shall be placed underground, except where it is not practicable
to do so.
(iv) Underground services shall be sited to minimise interference with existing
features, facilities and vegetation.
(v) Utility services shall be located so as not to restrict areas usable for outdoor
activities or required for future facilities or tree planting.
(vi) Any disturbance of the existing site during installation of a utility shall be
minimised and made good immediately after completion.
(vii) Opportunities for the existence of the utility structure to benefit the Town Belt will
be explored where appropriate (eg an essential maintenance track might provide
an alternative walking route for the general public).
h. All costs arising from the application for a new utility or upgrading or replacement of
an existing one shall be met by the applicant.
i. When a utility is no longer required and it would improve the amenity and/or
recreational value of the land, then that utility, including all related services, structures
and materials shall be removed and the site reinstated as necessary. This will be
required at the utility operator's or private owner’s expense.
j. In assessing applications for routing privately owned utilities, the Council will assess
whether the private utility intrudes unreasonably into the public's recreational
enjoyment of the Town Belt (now and in the future) or the ecological values of the Town
Belt and may decline the application on this basis.
k. The Council may grant written permission to adjoining property owners to lay private
discharge utilities (such as stormwater and sewer pipes) through the Town Belt to
connect into existing main piping networks subject to the following conditions:
Draft Town Belt Management Plan October 2012 177