A freedom camping trial in Marlborough started at midnight last night, but plans for one new camping spot in Picton have fallen by the wayside.

Marlborough District councillors voted at yesterday's full council meeting for a freedom camping trial at set Blenheim locations to start immediately and end on March 17 next year.

Overnight campers will be allowed at Blenheim's A&P Park, the railway station and the Wynen St car park.

An earlier proposal to allow freedom campers to park at Picton's High St car park was withdrawn, but a proposal for camper parking at Waitohi Domain remains.

Councillor David Oddie, who lives in Picton, said the council had received a lot of feedback from businesses and organisations lobbying for and against a freedom camping trial.

"I start to feel a little bit sorry for the ratepayers who are in the middle of this," Oddie said.

There was no silver bullet for dealing with the issue of freedom camping, Oddie said. "We're just trying to do our best."

Councillor Cynthia Brooks said the trial had been developed after restrictions were brought in to limit the number of vehicles parked at Koromiko's freedom camping site to 12.

At times there had been up to 40 cars parked at the site, she said.

"In a well-meaning manner we've tried to develop somewhere this perceived spillover could go."

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Freedom camping trial begins