Praise for the government's decision to protect a unique West Coast river

Environment Minister David Parker has declined Westpower's application for a "run of river" power scheme on the Waitaha River - south of Hokitika.

Local landowner and river engineer, Rob Blakely , says it would've been a difficult decision - but it's the right one.

He says there aren't many rivers left like this one - and it needs to be looked after.

More than three-thousand people submitted on the application, and the majority opposed.