20 January 2012

MEDIA RELEASE

Kapiti Coast wahi tapu boundary extended

The New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT) has extended the boundary of the Takamore wahi tapu area registration on the Kapiti Coast to better reflect the historical and cultural significance of the site.

The wahi tapu review was formally approved by the NZHPT’s Maori Heritage Council chaired by Sir Tumu te Heuheu when it met recently in Wellington.

A review request was put forward by the Takamore Trust which is charged with protecting the land in early 2011. The NZHPT wahi tapu registration now includes the Maketu urupa, other burials and a nearby site where a significant historical battle took place.

NZHPT Kaihautu, Te Kenehi Teira said the NZHPT is obliged to act on a wahi tapu review request within one year of it being received.

“The new wahi tapu registration is an extension of the story of Te Ati Awa and its relationship with its allies from Whanganui. It also helps ensure the importance of the heritage in the land for Muaupoko and other iwi is formally recognised.”

Mr Teira said it was important the many layers of Maori history dating back hundreds of years were appreciated and protected for current and future generations.

The registration review was supported by the New Zealand Transport Agency which had earlier announced it would be taking part of the land for a new expressway.

The Takamore Trustees and NZHPT have seen it important to work with all groups and landowners with an interest in the area.

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BACKGROUND NOTES

Registering historic places

Registration is the inclusion on the NZHPT Register of a place or area that is considered part of New Zealand’s historical and cultural heritage. Places may be included on the Register if they possess aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, cultural, historic, scientific, social, spiritual, technological or traditional values. Under the Historic Places Act (1993), places registered may be accorded a ranking of Category I or II status. The NZHPT also registers wahi tapu and wahi tapu areas.

Registration does not provide any direct protection to historic places or wahi tapu. Protection comes about when local authorities decide to protect their local historic places by scheduling them in their district plans under the Resource Management Act 1991. In this case a resource consent is often required from the Council concerned to modify any scheduled place. About 90 percent of places on the Register are also scheduled in District Plans.

More than 5,600 sites are included on the Register which can be searched online at historic.org.nz/TheRegister.aspx

More about the NZHPT

NZHPT is a Crown Entity and receives most of its funding from Government. It also has a large public membership. We aim to ensure New Zealand’s historic heritage is identified and protected in order to provide present and future generations of New Zealanders with a sense of place and belonging.

We work in co-operation with owners of historic places, developers, local authorities, communities, iwi, hapu and government agencies.

Our responsibilities under the Historic Places Act 1993 include:
• Regulating the modification of archaeological sites
• Maintaining the national Register of historic places and wahi tapu
• Working closely with local authorities and property owners to explore options for sympathetic adaptation of historic places and reusing them in place of demolition
• Providing specialist advice on the conservation of Maori heritage
• Managing a portfolio of 48 nationally significant heritage properties
• Advocating for the protection of significant heritage places through submissions on planning documents and resource consents
• Running heritage education, training and promotion programmes
• Administering the National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund, and
• Assessing and making recommendations for conservation of historic heritage prior to disposal of Crown land.

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