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A concerned Blenheim woman is petitioning parliament, calling for more transparency over plans for an intensive feedlot.
Former Marlborough Girls’ College student Natasha Henderson is calling for more information to be made publicly available on the proposal.
Since the petition was published online at the end of August, 590 people have signed.
Natasha, who is studying for a Master of Political Science at Victoria University of Wellington, says the public need more information.
“The community is facing this issue with very little public information about how it would be managed. That's why I'm asking for an official inquiry.”
No resource consent has been officially lodged to turn a 288-hectare sheep and beef farm at the head of Kenepuru Sound into an intensive, barn-based feedlot.
The Overseas Investment Office, responsible for approving foreign investment decisions, approved the application by American man Sjerp William Ysselstein.
Completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Political science and Political communication in 2025, Natasha has been interning for an MP in parliament.
Her decision to launch the petition is being done as a concerned private citizen, she says.
Her concerns are centred on the effect on the waterways and marine environment from effluent and runoff, road access, and the welfare of the cattle.
There are also questions about odour, noise and the effect on the area's character and its tourism and aquaculture economy.
The proposal could set a concerning precedent if approved.
“If a proposal like this is approved with little public scrutiny, it makes the next one easier,” Natasha says.
“There are other areas of New Zealand with fragile landscapes and limited infrastructure. An inquiry would help clarify how decisions about foreign owned farmland and intensive land use are made, and how communities get a say.
“The feedback I keep hearing from Marlborough locals is outrage, and above all, uncertainty. People are asking where the information is and who is talking to them.
“Locals deserve a say, decisions like these should be made in the communities that they impact.”
Natasha says she would like the land to stay in a use that suits the setting.
“I'm not against evidence-based decision making, investment, or farming. Our farmers have been and continue to be the under-represented backbone of this country.
“I'd like the land to stay in a use that suits the setting, using evidence-based holistic cost-benefit analysis. That could be lower intensity pastoral farming, or sustainable forestry, or something that supports the area's tourism and aquaculture.
“Whether you have high or low trust in our local and central political institutions, it is crucial to use your power to make sure your representatives are working for the benefit of all New Zealanders.”
Petition of Natasha Henderson: Inquiry into the proposed Kenepuru Sound cattle feedlot