89 Oct 2021 OceanaGold WNP Project, Waihi - Archaeological / Heritage Assessment (iii) Enhance the presence of town centre heritage/character buildings and local landmarks through streetscape design and any redevelopment/development initiatives that may affect the viewing quality and appreciation of these buildings/features… (vi) Maintain and enhance the amenity of the residential environment in the Residential and Low Density Residential Zones. The loss of historical features can be mitigated to an acceptable level, through archaeological recording. Any information gained could ‘provide for cultural well-being’, through public interpretation or any remains uncovered, and through making technical heritage reports accessible to the general public. Waikato Regional Plan (Waikato RP) The Waikato Regional Plan primarily considers matters of cultural heritage where they are identified as matters of significance to Maori. Most relevant to this project is Section 5 of the regional plan (‘the Land and Soil Module’). This section contains policies on the management of soil erosion, and Section 5.1.3 Policy 1 contains the following statement with regard to sites of importance to Tangata Whenua, including archaeological sites of Maori origin: ‘Policy 1: Managing Activities that Cause or Have the Potential to Cause Accelerated Erosion and Encouraging Appropriate Land Management Practices. Through permitted activities and non-regulatory methods manage activities that cause or have the potential to cause accelerated erosion, with particular regard to: e) the potential to adversely affect waahi tapu and archaeological sites or other identified sites of importance to tangata whenua as Kaitiaki.’ It should be noted that although no sites of importance to tangata whenua have been recorded in the project area, there are archaeological sites of Maori origin recorded elsewhere in the region of Waihi. In 2000 Phillips was informed that traditionally burials were placed in caves on Gladstone Hill. However, no archaeological features of Maori origin were identified by Phillips in 2000, although she concluded that there was potential for such features to survive on unmodified areas on the high points of Union Hill, Winner Hill and Gladstone Hill. However, further recent archaeological survey on Gladstone Hill and within the proposed Gladstone Open Pit did not identify any archaeological features of Maori origin. These areas clearly having been affected by numerous drill hole collar shafts excavated as part of modern gold prospecting, particularly over Gladstone Hill. It is therefore considered unlikely that any such features would have survived on Gladstone and Winner Hill as a result of historic and modern mining, and farming activities. Accidental discovery protocols should therefore be followed should any previously unidentified archaeological sites be revealed as a result of the proposed works. For any sites pre-dating 1900 this is a legal requirement under the HNZPTA 2014 (discussed in more detail in the following section). The assessment has determined that the Waihi North Project will not affect any scheduled item in the HDP. Summary of Historic Heritage Requirements under the RMA • Any consent granted should include accidental discovery protocols, as a condition of resource consent, advising OGNZL of their obligations under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 with regards to archaeology.
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