A Hawke's Bay winery has decided to remove a walking track they installed on Te Mata Peak after backlash from local iwi.
Craggy Range Winery carved the 2.4km track into the land they own.
Te Mata Peak is a popular tourist spot and officially classified as an Outstanding Natural Feature.
But the land is also sacred to Maori, with the peak believed to be the face of an ancestral chief.
The iwi, Ngati Kahungunu, are angry they weren't consulted over the building of the track.
"We were just totally in shock, it's been described as scribbles on the landscape of our beautiful whenua." Marei Apatu told 1 NEWS.
When Craggy Range opened in 2003 the site was blessed by the iwi.
"This is of national significance and they were remiss in not having this discussion with the manawhenua."
In a statement today Craggy Range's chief executive Michael Wilding says: "Craggy Range Winery has decided the best resolution to the concerns surrounding its new walking track on Te Mata Peak’s eastern slopes is to remove the track, restore the land and return it to the previous owner".
"We never intended to alienate or divide any part of our community by developing the public track and we believe it is in the best interests of the broader community that a swift resolution occurs."
Hastings District Council granted resource consent for the walking track without opening the process up for public consultation.
But it has responded to public pressure by announcing a review of its resource consent process.
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