Contact Energy has agreed its land can be used for a planned walkway between Roxburgh and Lawrence, regardless of whether it pushes ahead with any hydro-electric dam development in the area.
The power company owns significant parcels of land in the area, some of which would be inundated if a dam were to be built at either Beaumont or Tuapeka Mouth.
The Clutha Gold Trail Charitable Trust has been doing a feasibility study of the project and is negotiating with affected landowners to develop the trail which will run 73km along the banks of the Clutha River and old railway line.
Contact's environmental adviser, Daniel Druce, told the trust Contact supported the proposed walkway and confirmed it would grant a licence for the use of its land.
However, he said Contact's land in the area was leased for various terms and purposes and any agreement for walkway use would have to be negotiated with individual lessees.
