Retreat project advancing

Annual Plan hikes rates

Tasman District ratepayers face a rates hike of almost nine per cent, plus an increase in service fees and charges of 10 per cent.

The increases, to be implemented on 1 July, are integral to Tasman District Council’s (TDC) Annual Plan for 2023/2024, which was adopted at last week’s full council meeting. While the rates rise of 8.57 per cent is less than the initial proposal of 9.06 per cent, it remains historically high.

The Annual Plan defines which services and projects TDC will deliver, what they will cost, and how they will be funded.

According to TDC, costs have been affected by higher-than-anticipated inflation, increased interest rates, labour shortages, and greater depreciation costs, all of which forced a re-evaluation of work programme and capital projects, while ensuring the ongoing delivery of essential services and infrastructure.

Tasman District acting mayor Stuart Bryant said the decision to increase rates was not taken lightly.

During the public consultation period for the Annual Plan, council received 97 submissions, most of which proposed budget reductions. In response, TDC staff and councillors put in “significant discussion and work” in an attempt to optimise the balance between service delivery, investment and costs. That effort yielded a reduction of 0.49 per cent in the proposed rates increase.

One year ago the Bennett farm, next to the Mussel Inn in Onekaka, was purchased by a group of people who have wider plans than simply enjoying the Golden Bay lifestyle.

Ren Xue Australasia, the New Zealand based arm of a global charitable trust organisation focused on living in harmony, are planning to build a retreat centre and community dwellings on the farm.

Ren Xue integrates Yuan Qigong, a system of moving and still practices which optimise energy of the mind, body and spirit, with a modern understanding of health and wellbeing.

“This will be a world first," explains Ren Xue teacher and steering group communications co-ordinator Catherine Alker.” We have teachers and practitioners all around the world, but this is the first time we’ve tried to create a physical base, a home. So we’re at a pioneering phase at the moment.”

The steering group is made up of local people including Jackie Blunt, Marie-Laure Darricarrere, Catherine Alker and Steve Lee, who is also the farm manager. The group is assisted by other members including project co-ordinator Ollie Clifton, based in Christchurch.

“The structure of our steering group allows for different roles,” explains Catherine, “but they’re all very fluid. We have a research arm, and a strategist as well. It’s a very rich experience, working as a group, and part of our own learning and growing process.”

Having just received approval for their resource consent application from Tasman District Council, they are now planning their next steps towards obtaining building consent.

Farm manager Steve Lee outlines the proposed next stages: “This coming year, we will create a kind of interim hub, a Qigong space for people to come and stay, by renovating the old house across the road. Then the following year we will be looking to build stage one of the retreat centre, which will involve a new road to upgrade access.” He emphasises that this schedule is very much "in pencil" at the moment.

Plans for the centre and living space envisage a horse-shoe like cluster of buildings, which Jackie describes as “blending the natural elements with the buildings and the landscape to create something which is like being inside a big hug”.

In terms of actual construction, the project’s website describes their vision to “be guided by nature… our construction will be in accordance with Ren Xue principles. For example, it may be practical to source some of the main building materials from the local Golden Bay area, or even from the farm itself… sustainability is key”.

This ambitious concept has been germinating for a while. “The seed was sewn a long time ago," confirms Catherine. “I know that people were talking about a Ren Xue retreat centre for at least 10 years. Then about four years ago my family were coming over to Golden Bay, and heard a whisper that some land might be coming up for sale.” From there, she says, things seemed to fall into place. “This is the culmination of the efforts of many people over several years and we are so grateful to be in this position as kaitiaki of this beautiful land.”

Purchasing the farm has occurred over the...

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To help restrain the esclation in rates, changes have also been made to Tasman’s 10-Year Plan for 2023/2024, including: the use of Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) credits and forestry surpluses; reallocating Better Off Funding from the Government; and using more reserve financial contributions to help fund the development of specific recreation and cultural facilities. Although these decisions will raise net debt, TDC’s forecast is for it to remain within $250 million cap at the end of the 2023/2024 financial year.

The Annual Plan is not all about the struggle to maintain services, it also budgets for new social and environmental projects, such as the eBus service, improvements to cycling and walkway infrastructure, increased road maintenance, work on a combined Nelson-Tasman Resource Management Plan, and development of freshwater plans.

The final Annual Plan document will be posted on the TDC website shortly. Hard copies will also be available at the council’s service centres and libraries.