A makeshift driftwood hut on Tahunanui Beach in Nelson was made off limits to the public yesterday as it did not meet council building requirements.



Less than 24 hours later, and after considerable backlash from residents unhappy with the decision to restrict access to the structure, the Nelson City Council announced the fence had been removed via a Facebook post on Saturday morning.



"We appreciate your feedback, but ask that you take care if you do visit this structure. The last thing we want is people being hurt," the post read.

Outrage at council's decision to erect an official-looking orange fence was sparked after 10am on Friday when the small hut, made by four international visitors, denied access to the public before the long weekend.



The structure was finished on Tuesday by American and German tourists. A note they attached to it said "a lot of love went into building it". The tourists had hoped the only thing that would take the hut "was the tide".

MARTIN DE RUYTER/FAIRFAX NZ Charlotte Elphick of Nelson plays in the beach house built on Tahunanui Beach on Saturday morning, after the Nelson City Council removed the orange safety fence it erected around the driftwood structure on Friday.

READ MORE: Driftwood hut on Nelson's Tahuna Beach a labour of love for freedom campers



A Nelmac worker confirmed the fence was erected on Friday morning after a request by Nelson City Council (NCC).

The worker said most "heavy", wooden structures made on the beach were pushed over if considered dangerous.

NCC infrastructure group manager Alec Louverdis said an inspection of the driftwood structure raised "safety concerns" and it did not meet the requirements for a temporary structure.

JESSICA LONG/FAIRFAX NZ Lucca, Florence and Sabine look longingly inside the driftwood hut built on Tahunanui Beach in Nelson which was sectioned off from the public on Friday morning.

"[The beach hut] has been assessed as posing a risk to public safety if people were to enter it," Louverdis said.

"In recognition of the amount of work that was put in by those who built it, the hut will stay in place until the end of the school holidays so people can enjoy taking a look at it.

It would be removed after the holidays.

Jessica Long John Stark, Sylvia Shand and Dan McGuire with (back) Margaret King and Theresa Rawlins find it disappointing the driftwood hut on Tahunanui Beach has been sectioned off to the public.

"Small teepee-like structures have been removed from the beach before but this is the first time in recent memory something of this scale has been built."

Three children, Sabine (6), Florence (3) and Lucca (3), walking by the hut on Friday stopped to look disappointedly through the gaps of the plastic fence.

The girls wished they could play inside.



Other children were playing further up the beach, but no others were close by.



A group who called themselves The Beach Bums said they visited the beach most days and watched children play in the hut.



They saw others admire it.

JESSICA LONG/FAIRFAX NZ The driftwood hut on Tahunanui Beach was sectioned off to the public on Friday morning.

The group collectively agreed it was a shame the beach hut had been sectioned off from the public, but were glad it had not been pulled down.

Margaret King said it was health and safety "gone mad".

"I think it's a shame they don't allow kids to be kids," Theresa Rawlins said.

Jessica Long Lucca, Florence and Sabine look longingly inside the driftwood hut built on Tahunanui Beach in Nelson which was sectioned off from the public on Friday morning.

Another passer-by Greg Bate said if council was concerned about liability a "caution" sign should have been erected.

He said then the onus would be on the individual and the structure could still be enjoyed.

"I can understand that it might not be safe. On the other hand it looks like it has been well constructed," he said.

Jojo Beech said the "bunch of light driftwood" didn't look as though it was heavy enough to injure someone if it did fall unexpectedly.

"I don't like it. It ruins the fun," Beech said.

John Stark questioned why the other beach teepee structures had not been fenced-off in the same manner.

"When it was being built, kids were running up to help. They were bringing over sticks to the backpackers and enjoyed building it," he said.

The hut's builders wanted it to be enjoyed by everyone over the school holidays.