85 Molesworth Street
PO Box 3942, Wellington 6140, New Zealand T: +64 4 473 7551 // F: +64 4 473 7911 E: [email protected] // www.beca.com
Our Ref: 4261542 NZ1-14482942-6 0.6
Tasman District Council
Sent via email: [email protected] [email protected]
Attention: Glenda Crichton, Michael Croxford
11 August 2017
Dear Commissioner Panel
Fire and Emergency New Zealand- Letter to be tabled at the hearing for Boomerang Farms Limited (RM160990 and RM 160991)
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fire and Emergency NZ), replacing the New Zealand Fire Service Commission, has opted not to attend the hearing for the subdivision and land use consents lodged by Boomerang Farms Limited. Fire and Emergency NZ requests that this letter be tabled for the Commissioner panel consideration in lieu of its attendance at the hearing.
The officer’s report for the above application has been received. The report prepares the following conditions listed below. Fire and Emergency NZ would like to affirm its support of the inclusion of the prepared
conditions related to firefighting water supply and access. However, fire and Emergency NZ would like to request some amendments to provide for clarity and increase effectiveness.
1. (RM160990) and (RM160991)- Subdivision and Land use (access) Condition 29- Water
“29. The following consent notices shall be registered on the Computer Freehold Register of Lots 1- 135, pursuant to Section 221 of the resource Management Act, requiring on a continuing basis:
Water
a) That provision of a rainwater system be made with at least 45 cubic metres of rainwater storage for potable supply, as no water supply from the Tasman District Council is available;
b) That water tanks either be incorporated into the structure of the building or be buried.
c) Prior to the dwelling being habitable the following shall be provided:
d) Firefighting water supply that is accessible and usable by a fire engine and between 6 to 90m from the dwelling that either:
i. Stores at least 45 000 litres; or
ii. Is provided from a home sprinkler system that is fitted to a reliable year round water supply; or
iii. Is from a source that provides for at least 25 litres per second for 30 minutes; and b) a domestic potable water supply of at least 23 000 litres.”
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Fire and Emergency NZ is supportive of the intent of consent notice 29. However, the following amendments are recommended. From the current wording, it is unclear if the firefighting water supply is to be separate from the domestic water supply. The Fire Fighting Water Supplies Code of Practice SNZ PAS 4509:20081 also acknowledges that if a sprinkler system is to be used, the water can be incorporated within the domestic potable supply. It is unclear from the wording of this condition if the water supply for the sprinkler system is to be separate or not. If the sprinkler system is connected to the domestic potable supply incorporated into the dwelling, there is a risk that the water supply will be compromised in the event of a fire (i.e. a plastic tank could melt in the heat) and the sprinkler system could fail, significantly increasing the risk of damage to property, the surrounding environment and life.
It is therefore recommended that the Commissioner Panel take the following recommended amendments to Condition 29 into account to achieve consistency with the SNZ PAS 4509:2008. The additions are underlined and the deletions are struckout
“29. The following consent notices shall be registered on the Computer Freehold Register of Lots 1- 135, pursuant to Section 221 of the resource Management Act, requiring on a continuing basis:
Water
a) That provision of a rainwater system be made with at least 45 cubic metres of rainwater storage for potable supply, as no water supply from the Tasman District Council is available;
b) That water tanks either be incorporated into the structure of the building or be buried.
c) Prior to the dwelling being habitable, a dedicated firefighting water supply that is accessible and usable by a fire appliance and located 6m to 90m from the dwelling shall be provided in addition to the potable supply that either:
i. Is provided from a home sprinkler system that is fitted to a dedicated reliable year round water supply in accordance with Fire Sprinkler Systems for Houses NZS 4517:2010; or ii. Stores at least 45,000 litres from a source that:
a. provides for at least 25 litres per second for 30 minutes; and
b. is accessible from a hardstanding area at least 4.5m in width and 11m in length; and c. is readily identifiable (e.g. signposted on site): and
d. has a suitable connection for use by fire appliances.
c) Prior to the dwelling being habitable the following shall be provided:
d) Firefighting water supply that is accessible and usable by a fire engine and between 6 to 90m from the dwelling that either:
1To be replaced in due course by a revised code of practice, in accordance with Sections 72 and 73 of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act 2017.
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iv. Stores at least 45 000 litres; or
v. Is provided from a home sprinkler system that is fitted to a reliable year round water supply; or
vi. Is from a source that provides for at least 25 litres per second for 30 minutes; and b) a domestic potable water supply of at least 23 000 litres.”
Condition 44- Access
44. Practical access shall be constructed each lot at a minimum grade of 1 in 6 and complying with the Tasman District Resource Management Plan.
A fire appliance is not able to access a property if the gradient is over 1:6. Fire and Emergency NZ therefore recommends that the condition be amended as follows:
44. Practical access shall be constructed each lot at a minimum maximum grade of 1 in 6 and complying with the Tasman District Resource Management Plan.
2. Land use consent RM160992 (construction of dwellings) Condition 6
Page 75 of the officers report sets out proposed conditions for RM160991 in addition to the conditions outlined above. Condition 6 replicates Condition 29 of RM160990 and RM160991. These two conditions should reflect the same wording. Therefore it is requested to amend Condition 6 as follows:
a) That provision of a rainwater system be made with at least 45 cubic metres of rainwater storage for potable supply, as no water supply from the Tasman District Council is available;
b) That water tanks either be incorporated into the structure of the building or be buried.
c) Prior to the dwelling being habitable, a dedicated firefighting water supply that is accessible and usable by a fire appliance and located 6m to 90m from the dwelling shall be provided in addition to the potable supply that either:
i. Is provided from a home sprinkler system that is fitted to a dedicated reliable year round water supply in accordance with Fire Sprinkler Systems for Houses NZS 4517:2010; or ii. Stores at least 45,000 litres from a source that:
a. provides for at least 25 litres per second for 30 minutes; and
b. is accessible from a hardstanding area at least 4.5m in width and 11m in length; and c. is readily identifiable (e.g. signposted on site): and
d. has a suitable connection for use by fire appliances.
c) Prior to the dwelling being habitable the following shall be provided:
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d) Firefighting water supply that is accessible and usable by a fire engine and between 6 to 90m from the dwelling that either:
vii. Stores at least 45 000 litres; or
viii. Is provided from a home sprinkler system that is fitted to a reliable year round water supply; or
ix. Is from a source that provides for at least 25 litres per second for 30 minutes; and b) a domestic potable water supply of at least 23 000 litres.”
Advice Note 9
Fire and Emergency NZ is supportive of the inclusion of either Advice Note 9. To avoid confusion it is the following amendments are recommended. The advice note provides additional guidance to the consent holder as to how to comply with the NZ Fire Service Fire Fighting Water Supplies Code of Practice (SNZ PAS 4509:2008) and Fire Sprinkler System for houses NZS 4517:2010 and meeting the requirements of condition 6 of RM160992.
Amendments to Advice note 9 are requested as follows:
Fire Fighting Standards
9 Fire and Emergency New Zealand considers the optimal means of The consent holder shall meet the requirements of managing fire risk and storage of water for firefighting, is compliance with in accordance with the NZ Fire Service Fire Fighting Water Supplies Code of Practice (SNZ PAS 4509:2008). The NZ Fire Service Commission considers the optimal means of compliance with the NZFS Code is the installation of a domestic sprinkler system in accordance with and Fire Sprinkler Systems for Houses NZS 4517:2010.
Summary
Should you have any queries or seek clarification on the recommendations contained in this letter relevant to the Boomerang Farms Ltd application, please contact me on the details below.
Yours sincerely
Claire Fell Planner
on behalf of
Direct Dial: +64 4 901 2381 Email: [email protected]