The TDC has on Tuesday granted the RMA consent for the first stage of Atamai Village! The village is now very close to turning from a bright vision into a practical reality.

A big thanks to the tremendous help we had from many of you through the recent crucial hearing process of the public consultation. It was fantastic to see so many step forward to voice their support.

So, what is going to happen next? 

We will now have to wait for three weeks (15 working days) to see if any of the submitters wants to lodge an appeal against the council decision.

If no appeal is lodged the work on the site and building can commence in about one month’s time. If an appeal does get lodged it can delay the implementation of the consent until the environment court can schedule to hear the case. We are fairly confident that any appeal will be rejected by the court. No points of any substance were presented by the submitters opposing the village that the environment court would in our view and according to our legal advice take into consideration. So although a further delay is possible we feel it is just that, a delay rather than an obstacle.

The team working on the project is very happy about having reached this milestone and a celebration is being prepared!

To give you an idea what we are working on during this sunny and pleasant Nelson early autumn (and will continue to work on until the RMA is finally unchallengeable):

- Food production

Most of the crops have now been harvested (and eaten J), many lessons learned, winter crops are being prepared and seeds collected

- Equipment

We have acquired a small digger, horticultural equipment (hand and small motor powered), water pumps, the brick making machine is ordered and on the way to NZ, the first solar installation is operational and successful and more tools are being purchased – we feel the continuing economic upheaval is more than confirming our point of pooling resources to face a future that is looking more than just challenging every day.

- Facilities

An engineering workshop is being set up now to start work on some of the energy projects and household appliances (high efficiency stoves) for the village, wood pyrolysis machine. Greenhouse sites have been excavated, more ponds been created and paths put in

- WWOOFERS

Our second summer has seen a good number of wwoofers visit and work on the farm, proving to be a very welcome help and generally enjoying their stay at TeMara

- Housing

We are in the middle of working through the house and permaculture design for the first true ‘Atamai’ house and site which will be built on one of the existing titles for Jack and Joanna.

Expect the next update in about a month’s time latest and we might then be able to change the current claims into proper stakes in the ground and foundations and landscapes in short order. Also keep a lookout for web site updates. We will be posting all the title information now as the RMA is approved within the next two weeks.