Anger is brewing in Nelson over a council decision to set aside areas on the city fringe for freedom campers.
Freedom campers Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Deputy mayor Paul Matheson said the expected influx of tourists this season, as a result of the road closure through Kaikōura, had forced the council to act swiftly.
The council said about $80,000 would be spent on installing free WiFi and setting up security and rubbish collection at three sites just outside the central city including the Nelson marina.
The move won the support of police, but has astounded some campground managers and other affected groups.
The owner of Nelson's Top 10 Holiday Park, Steve Edwards, said it was unfathomable that the council would allow such areas in opposition to campgrounds, including those it operated.
He said it was unfair that he and others had to spend money on multiple licences and inspections to operate, yet the council could set up in competition without jumping through the hoops others had to.
"You know, what the council is doing to me ... could you imagine if I stood outside New World (supermarket) and just started giving away bags of groceries. Because they're being given away, people don't need to go in the door - it's exactly the same thing happening to us.
"The funny thing is the council has turned around and said, 'we have to fix this problem' - they've had six years to fix this problem but all they've done is namby-pamby around it, and now they're panicking," Mr Edwards said.
Mr Matheson said the council was better off taking steps to manage the expected influx, than let the campers have the freedom of the city and park themselves anywhere.
He said there was no time to wait for national direction on freedom camping, but the council was following current government guidelines, which suggested its actions would result in fewer problems.
Mr Matheson said there was no time to consult the community, but people need not be concerned as the freedom camping sites were only temporary.
"We didn't have time but what we did do, is we had an extensive meeting with the police and said, 'how can we accommodate this folk' and we came up with this solution which we believe will be the safest for everyone. It's a short-term arrangement," he said.
One of the sites at the Nelson marina has prompted the group that represents berth holders to seek legal advice.
One berthholder said it was unjust that boat owners should be expected to pay for facilities the council and public believed were for the "elite", and then provide it as a free-for-all.
Berthholders' association chairman Steve Thomas said his phone had not stopped ringing since the announcement a few days ago. He said there were "serious concerns" with the council's approach to the matter, and the group would be fighting hard to have its views heard.
Mr Thomas said while most understood that freedom camping issues needed to be resolve, "knee-jerk plans made in haste" without any consideration to consequences was not something the group expected from civic leaders.
He said legal advice has been sought and a letter has been sent to the council asking it to review the decision.
