The number of people who responded to a draft discussion document on the development of the Birchwood Homestead, near Omarama, has pleased the Department of Conservation.
The department released the plan last month and called for public feedback, which closed on October 4.
It also asked for expressions of interest and proposals for a concession to use the homestead area.
Community relations manager Sally Jones said that some people had responded to the discus-sion paper on Birchwood by sending in comments.
"The responses will be looked at over the next two months and the suggestions and common themes will be compiled in a report," she said.
Twizel area staff would be working through all the submissions and a report (including recommendations) would be produced to go to Canterbury conservator Mike Cuddihy. This was likely to take a few months.
The department wanted to make the Birchwood homestead in the Ahuriri Valley a focal point for the Ahuriri Conservation Park.
The discussion document also outlined development plans for the homestead area.
The National Heritage Fund bought the historic 23,783ha property from the Williamson family to form a major part of the conservation park, opened in March 2005.
Doc leased 680ha, including the homestead and surrounds, back to the family for five years.
That lease expired in July last year and Doc now wanted to develop an entrance and facility area utilising the homestead and its buildings.
The homestead offered a potential base for a conservation enterprise that would complement the conservation park, Doc said.
