Future Deed of Licence for Upper Selwyn Huts

We are seeking your feedback on a new Deed of Licence for Upper Selwyn Huts.

Upper Selwyn Huts is a rural settlement located at the Springston South Reserve on the shores of Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere. The settlement was originally made up of fishermen’s huts, with the first built in 1888. Over time, small dwellings were also built that were generally only used by the owners for a limited number of days per year. Today, while some huts and dwellings are still used on a temporary basis, some are now occupied as a permanent place of residence, with an estimate of around 93 people residing at the Upper Selwyn Huts (Stats NZ, 2024).

Hut owners have a Deed of Licence (DOL) to occupy the land, which is owned by the Crown and managed by Selwyn District Council (Council). Historically, hut owners have owned their hut and held a DOL to occupy the land on which their hut is built.

The current DOL for Upper Selwyn Huts has been extended several times and many of the DOL terms no longer reflect the current situation.

In July 2024, Council paused a decision on a proposed 15-year licence term. It has since then, held a series of workshops with the Upper Selwyn Huts community to better understand the views and concerns of licence holders and residents as we plan for the future of the settlement.

Insights from these discussions, along with Councillor workshops, have shaped the direction of a consultation approach and the topics we are now seeking feedback on.

Council is now undertaking a public consultation to gather feedback that will inform a DOL for the future.

The new DOL is about giving certainty and clarity for the future - for licence holders, for Council, and for the wider community. Council must balance the specific interests and needs of Upper Selwyn Huts’ licence holders and tenants, with the broader interests of all Selwyn residents and ratepayers. This ensures fair and equitable management of resources and community benefits. This balance needs to consider:

• The rights and responsibilities of licence holders
• The need to manage environmental events to ensure people's safety
• Council’s duty to protect people, public land and infrastructure – including meeting modern health and safety standards
• Equitable management of resources and community benefits for all Selwyn residents and ratepayers

This consultation is your chance to inform what that new licence should look like.

We are consulting on what should be taken into account within particular terms that will be included in the new DOL. This consultation will give you the opportunity to provide feedback on the details of these terms.

. They include:

1. How long future Deeds of Licence should last
2. Whether a serious environmental event should end a licence term early
3. Whether residents should be required to pay a bond to help restore the land at the end of a licence term
4. How Council should undertake a condition inspection programme to assess the condition and safety of huts and associated structures.

Whether you are a current licence holder, a permanent or temporary resident, or someone with a connection to, or interest in the area - we want to hear from you.

This consultation is about informing the terms of a new DOL. Decisions about licensing and occupancy affect not only the future of the Upper Selwyn Huts community, but also the wider Selwyn district. The huts are located on public reserve land, and as such there are factors beyond the longevity of the community. These include wider considerations such as environmental impacts and protection, equity for all ratepayers, and long-term sustainability. We are now asking for your feedback before any final decisions are made.