FAQs

The Reserves Act 1977 requires the development of reserve management plans to establish the desired mix of use, protection for reserves and to provide the community with certainty about the function and management of the reserves. The General Policies Reserve Management Plan is intended to cover all reserves in the Invercargill District, therefore creating a more efficient management plan structure for future reviews combining all general policies into one overarching plan. 

The plan will include set policies and objectives that are common to all reserves administered by the Invercargill City Council. This is to ensure a simple and consistent approach to management decisions and compliance with the Reserves Act requirements. 

The plan also includes a list of reserves, a link to Council Officer Delegations and Delegations under the Reserves Act on behalf of the Minister of Conservation

Development plans will be undertaken through a public notification process on a case by case basis. 

There is a list of reserves at the back of the draft Management Plan and located in the documents section of this page. 

These can be categorised as follows:

• Amenity Parks
• Environmental Parks
• Linkage Parks
• Neighbourhood Parks
• Outdoor Adventure Parks
• Premier Parks
• Sports Field Reserves
• Special Purpose
• Civic Spaces
• Cultural Heritage (including cemeteries)
• Undeveloped Parks
• Non-Council owned Reserves

• Actions and implementation plans will not be included in this plan, only objectives and policies.
• Future development concept designs will not be included in this plan. These will be assessed on a case by case basis.
• General history and use information will be added to the website instead of being included
• Specific reserve policies and objectives for Queens Park, Anderson Park, Town Belt, Environmental Reserves, Sports Fields Reserves, Cemeteries, Donovan Park and Sandy Point will be dealt with separately as they warrant their own management plans.

If an issue is addressed in both the General Policies Reserve Management Plan and a reserve management plan for a specific reserve, or type of reserve, then the policies in the specific management plan will take precedence over the General Policies Reserve Management Plan.

If a specific reserve management plan is silent on a matter, the General Policies Reserve Management Plan shall apply. The General Policies Reserve Management Plan also applies to any reserves or parks that are not covered by a specific management plan (such as newly acquired reserves for example).

Council will have the final decision on what is included in the plan following consideration of feedback and hearings. 

Pre engagement for the development of the plan was from 12 August - 11 September 2022. During this time people had the opportunity to provide feedback on what they wanted to see included in the policies and objectives for reserves in the Invercargill District. 

What we heard was people asking about:

• heritage
• accessibility
• management of multiple users sharing their activities in spaces and facilities
• parks should be welcoming for schools and kindergartens
• utilising remaining felled trees as seats and furniture
• maintaining and creating spaces for diverse needs of the community and engaging with the diverse community
• planting more trees
• ecological restoration
• opportunities for social connections
• health and safety-related practices to support users
• facilities to support the health and wellbeing of users
• reducing costs and co2 emissions with less grass growing through planting more natives/hedges, reducing grass areas, long wild field areas

The next step in the public notification process is a two month period on the draft Management Plan. You can provide feedback via the survey in the link on this page.

Most policies within the management plan in one way or another address the diverse needs of the community. Some of these include: park furniture and amenities (e.g. signage, track and paths, toilets), events,  sports and recreation activities, trees and vegetation.

Council has a growing contact list through partnerships with mana whenua, and key stakeholders. Let's Talk provides newsletters and regular updates to those who have requested them. Council will also be reaching out to schools and other societies, clubs and organisations it associates with. Public Notices will be issued through The Southland Times and consultation boxes located at Bluff Service Centre, Invercargill Library and Te Hinaki Civic Administration Building. You can also contact the Parks and Recreation Team if you wish to discuss anything parks related parks.recreation@icc.govt.nz 

The timeframe for providing your written submission is two months which provides people with a reasonable timeframe to report comments.

There is also the opportunity for people to be heard so for those who are stronger at speaking they may wish to speak to support their written submission.  

Council is currently working on a strategy for addressing climate change. Until that has been adopted, Parks and Recreation has developed a policy in 7.4 Climate Change which talks about adaptation methods and considerations that will be implemented.

Collaboration and relationships are put at the forefront of Council activities, especially with best practice for planning, reviewing and working better together. Examples of collaboration and relationships are referenced many times throughout the management plan, particularly in the goals and objectives (5.0), 11.6 Community Consultation and 11.24 Volunteers.

There is a policy specifically on access (11.2) and it is referenced in many other policies, especially in the development section as it is best practise to ensure access is considered when developing and renewing spaces and places.

Written submissions can be made via the link at the bottom of this page. 

Alternatively, you can pick up a submission form and drop one off at 

• Te Hīnaki Civic Building at 101 Esk St, 
• Invercargill Public Library 
• Bluff Service Centre.

You can also email the Parks and Recreation Team at parks.recreation@icc.govt.nz or post your submission:

Post: Submission – Draft General Policies

Reserve Management Plan

Invercargill City Council

Private Bag 90104

Invercargill 9840

Heritage NZ is considered a key partner/stakeholder with Council and as best practise, Council ensures Heritage NZ is collaborated with during planning stages for works and activities. Heritage is included in the following policies: 

• 7.1 Archeological Sites and Accidental Discovery
• 11.15 Heritage (historic and cultural)
• 11.17 Natural Heritage