An Otago Regional Council annual plan hearings committee has decided against making a recommendation on the Tarras irrigation scheme.
The hearing committee is set to present its recommendations on submissions to the council's annual plan at tomorrow's finance and corporate committee meeting.
The proposal to invest $3.5 million in dry shares in the Tarras scheme drew more than half of the 99 submissions the council received, with all but two opposed to the scheme, but the committee decided not to make a recommendation on whether to invest in the scheme, instead choosing to summarise the points made by the submitters.
In deciding not to make a recommendation, the committee noted further information would be received before the council made a final decision on the scheme.
The committee said the summary would be included as part of this new information, which is set to be presented to the council later this month, when councillors will be asked whether it should invest in the scheme.
Meanwhile, the committee did make a recommendation the council decline requests from submitters to take responsibility for unblocking Hoopers Inlet on Otago Peninsula.
Submitters were concerned the blocking of the inlet would stop access to the area due to flooding or force people to drive through salt water.
They wanted the regional council to remedy the situation.
The committee said security of access was the responsibility of the Dunedin City Council, which was the roading authority.
It also noted that clearing the channel could be undertaken by groups of private individuals and was a permitted activity, subject to certain conditions.
