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Bylaw rule being enforced to get rough sleepers to remove property causing obstruction on city streets

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PUBLISHED: 14 MAR 2025
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People leaving personal belongings cluttering up and obstructing movement on streets in New Plymouth’s city centre will be told to remove them or expect Council will remove them in accordance with the district's Public Places Bylaw.

New Plymouth District Mayor Neil Holdom says that from today (Friday), Council staff will be advising people sleeping rough in the CBD with items or structures causing an obstruction, to remove them within seven days, or risk them being impounded. 

The response comes in the wake of growing concern about the increase of rough sleepers in the city centre and the impacts of that activity, including items blocking shop entrances, drinking alcohol in the alcohol ban area, drug taking, violence, intimidation of members of the public and generally making the area look untidy and feel unsafe.

Since the start of this year (2025) to March the Council has received 30 calls in relation to rough sleeping and homelessness with nine of these referred to police.

Obstructions in public places, including obstructing access to properties, is a breach of NPDC’s Public Places Bylaw and the Local Government Act 2002 gives authorised council staff the authority to remove any offending items if the owner ignores requests to do so.

Mayor Holdom says while Council was currently considering how it could support the establishment of an emergency shelter, provision of food and social services to help some of the most vulnerable people in the district, it could not stand by and allow the blatant breaches of bylaws to continue unchecked.

“We are doing our best to come up with solutions and working with local philanthropists and charities on a solution that will provide food and shelter for these members of our community, while at the same time making it clear we will not accept ongoing breaches of  the bylaw and obstructing access to properties.

The Mayor acknowledges some may see this move as heavy handed towards a vulnerable community.

“The challenge we face is that the issues in the CBD are escalating, and I have real concerns that unless we enforce our laws and bylaws now, we can only expect more people, more disorderly behaviour and the corresponding negative impacts on our law-abiding people, workers and businesses in the city.”

The Council is still finalising a process for dealing with any seized property, which under the Local Government Act 2002 must be stored for 14 days before any unclaimed property can be disposed of.

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Page last updated: 09:26am Fri 14 March 2025

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