A larger bach in the North Island.

Bach (pronounced Batch) is the name given in New Zealand to structures akin to small, often very modest holiday homes or beach houses. They are an iconic part of New Zealand history and culture, especially in the midst of the 20th century, where they symbolized the beach holiday lifestyle that was becoming more accessible to the middle class^[1]. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 321 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

In the southern part of New Zealand, the term "crib" is also used.

Construction

They are almost always small structures, usually made of cheap or recycled material like fibrolite (asbestos sheets), corrugated iron or used timber ^[2]. They were influenced by the backwoods cabins and sheds of the early settlers and farmers.

While older baches tend to be fibrolite lean-to structures, modern kit-set structures are becoming popular amongst bach owners. Department of Conservation figures estimate that more that 50,000 bachs exist around New Zealand, a high number considering the country's population of barely more than 4 million people. There are several Department of Conservations: New Zealand Department of Conservation California Department of Conservation This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Many baches do not have modern amenities like connection to the water and electricity grid.

Legal status

Old baches often have 'existing use' ^[3] rights under the Resource Management Act in areas where even such modest residential or part-time residential buildings would not be allowed by newer zoning regulations. As such, they are quite prized, even though these days, authorities look unfavourably on proposals to convert them into full residential buildings. The Resource Management Act (RMA) is a significant and controversial Act of Parliament passed in 1991 in New Zealand. ... A typical zoning map; this one identifies the zones, or development districts, in the city of Ontario, California Zoning is a North American term for a system of land-use regulation. ...

Some baches whose construction was obviously legally dubious (such as those on Rangitoto) have been dismantled over time. Rangitoto Island is a volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland, New Zealand. ...

References

1. ^ Te Ara, Encyclopedia of New Zealand (encyclopedia section about holiday life)
2. ^ Te Ara, Encyclopedia of New Zealand (short encyclopedia section about bach architecture)
3. ^ Resource Management Act (Department of the Environment, see 'existing use' in the actual act text)