MARLBOROUGH, 23 July 2026
Marlborough residents, iwi, environmental organisations, recreational beach users and commercial operators are being invited to have their say on the future management of vehicles along the region’s East Coast.
Marlborough District Council will open public consultation on Friday, 24 July, asking whether the East Coast Beach Vehicle Bylaw 2023 should undergo a formal review and what issues that review should examine.
The consultation will remain open until 28 August 2026.
At this stage, the council is not proposing specific changes to the bylaw. Instead, it wants the community to help determine whether a wider review is needed and what subjects should be included.
The existing rules will remain fully in force while consultation takes place.
Why the bylaw was introduced
The East Coast Beach Vehicle Bylaw came into effect on 1 July 2023.
It manages vehicle access along approximately 48.5 kilometres of Marlborough’s coastline between the Awatere and Waima rivers.
Vehicle access to parts of the coastline increased after the magnitude 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake in November 2016 caused significant coastal uplift. Areas that had previously been difficult or impossible to reach became more accessible to vehicles.
The council introduced the bylaw in response to concerns about damage to fragile coastal habitats, wildlife disturbance, public safety and conflicts between vehicle users and other people using the beaches.
The coastal area contains ecologically important landscapes and species, including nesting dotterels, native katipō spiders, New Zealand fur seal colonies and regionally significant coastal plants.
The bylaw currently restricts vehicle use across much of the coastline while providing limited access for certain vehicles and activities in designated locations.
What are the Red, Yellow and Green zones?
The bylaw divides parts of the East Coast into different access zones.
Red zones generally prohibit motor vehicle access, while Green zones provide permitted access subject to the conditions of the bylaw.
The Yellow Zone south of the Marfells Beach campsite allows restricted access for All Terrain Vehicles and Utility Task Vehicles. These vehicles must travel below the high-tide mark.
The access arrangement is intended to support activities such as fishing, harvesting, diving, customary practices and access for people who may otherwise be unable to reach parts of the coast.
Two-wheel motorcycles and conventional four-wheel-drive vehicles are not permitted within the Yellow Zone.
Marfells Beach is one of the most popular recreational destinations along the East Coast, making the balance between access and environmental protection a significant issue for local residents and visitors.
What the consultation will consider
When councillors adopted the bylaw, the council committed to examining the Yellow Zone in 2026. It must also complete a comprehensive statutory review of the full bylaw by March 2028.
Council representatives have indicated that completing a broader review now could allow both requirements to be addressed through one process.
Possible areas for consideration include:
- Environmental protection
- Vehicle access arrangements
- Public safety
- Compliance and enforcement
- Exemptions for particular users or activities
- Signs and public information
- Education for beach users
- The operation of the Red, Yellow and Green zones
The consultation may also examine whether the existing rules are clear, practical and enforceable.
Council previously said developments since the bylaw was introduced include new environmental monitoring information, the adoption of an Unformed Legal Roads Policy and continuing debate about access and compliance.
No decision has been made
The council has stressed that opening consultation does not mean the bylaw will automatically be changed or removed.
Councillors will consider written submissions and any presentations made during public hearings before deciding whether to begin a formal review.
If a formal review proceeds and amendments are proposed, the public would receive another opportunity to comment on those specific changes.
The process could eventually result in the bylaw being retained without amendment, changed or revoked. Until a final decision is made, all existing vehicle restrictions remain legally enforceable.
The council’s consultation process normally includes an open submission period, analysis of the feedback, a staff report, possible hearings and a final decision by elected members. Submissions generally become public information, although the council says only submitters’ names and feedback are routinely published on its website.
Debate over access and environmental protection
Vehicle access along the East Coast has been a sensitive issue for several years.
Supporters of tighter controls have raised concerns about wildlife disturbance, damage to coastal vegetation and dunes, safety risks and the effect of vehicles on people seeking to enjoy the area on foot.
Other community members have emphasised the coast’s importance for fishing, food gathering, recreation, customary practices and access for people with limited mobility.
The legality of the bylaw was challenged through judicial review proceedings brought by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau Trust. In February 2025, the High Court rejected the challenges advanced against the council’s decision-making process.
The upcoming consultation provides another opportunity for the wider community to explain how the rules are working in practice.
How to provide feedback
Consultation opens on Friday, 24 July 2026 and closes on Friday, 28 August 2026.
Residents and interested organisations will be able to make written submissions through Marlborough District Council’s Have Your Say consultation platform.
Submitters may also request an opportunity to speak at a hearing.
The council provides an interactive Smart Maps service showing where vehicles are prohibited, permitted or subject to restrictions under the current bylaw.
Following the consultation period, council staff will analyse the submissions and report the results to councillors. Elected members will then decide whether a formal review should proceed.
References
Marlborough District Council, Community Feedback Sought on Review of East Coast Beach Vehicle Bylaw, 26 June 2026.
Marlborough District Council, East Coast Beach Vehicle Bylaw 2023.
Marlborough District Council, Have Your Say: Consultation and Submission Process.
Marlborough District Council, Council Welcomes High Court Decision on East Coast Bylaw, 12 February 2025.
