The revised Thames Coromandel District Council's Freedom Camping Bylaw will come into effect from 12pm today.

This year council has been working through a review of the bylaw and adopted it during the TCDC's October meeting.

The Thames Coromandel District Council's revised Freedom Camping Bylaw comes into effect from 12pm today. Photo: File.

There are a number of changes and council has adopted a more permissive approach to responsible freedom camping, in line with the Freedom Camping Act.

A key approach is that all freedom campers must be certified self-contained.

The bylaw also includes two schedules - areas where freedom camping is prohibited at all times and areas where freedom camping is restricted subject to certain conditions.

Each schedule includes a table of area descriptions and a series of maps.

For restricted areas, freedom campers must park in the designated areas and these areas are not shown in the bylaw area maps, but will be signposted by today.

A judicial review of the bylaw following a legal challenge by the New Zealand Motor Campervan Association resulted in public consultation on the revisions earlier this year.

While ruled as being legal, the judge recommended two clauses in the Public Places Bylaw and Parking Control Bylaw should be revoked, which has now happened.

Changes in the revised bylaw include removing limitations on freedom camping in restricted areas during summer and holiday weekends, and extending departure times from 8am to 9am.

The number of nights people can stay in restricted areas would also be raised to two consecutively, and specific sites would also be designated for freedom camping within restricted areas.

There would also be changes to proposed areas where freedom camping is prohibited or restricted.

To read the revised Thames Coromandel District Council's Freedom Camping Bylaw 2014 click here.