John Wilson Ocean Dr is to stay closed to vehicles while a study is completed on wildlife that is beginning to return to the area.
But permanent closure of the road may cause some impassioned debate in future, with one city councillor saying yesterday he opposed such a "magnificent asset" being lost to drivers.
The road, which leads to Lawyers Head, has been closed for almost two years because of work on Dunedin's new sewage outfall.
In April this year, Department of Conservation coastal ranger Jim Fyfe said wildlife was beginning to reclaim Lawyers Head in the absence of people and their dogs.
A female sea lion and her pup had made the area home for the second consecutive summer, an oyster catcher had nested and was raising chicks, and a yellow-eyed penguin had been spotted.
The return of wildlife is not the only reason for calls to keep the road closed.
Dunedin psychiatrist Dr Keren Skegg told the council in January there had been a dramatic reduction in the number of people committing suicide by jumping from the cliff since access to the area was closed.
Council staff are considering options for restricting access long term to Lawyers Head, though that was not discussed in a report yesterday to the Dunedin City Council community development committee.
Reserves policy and planning manager Dolina Lee said in the report while data was being collected to develop a long-term plan, the road should remain closed to vehicles but open to pedestrians.
That would allow ecological data to be gathered.
Cr Michael Guest said the drive was a magnificent asset.
"If there's a suggestion even part of it is closed because of wildlife, I'm going to be opposed because it's such a good asset."
Cr Fliss Butcher offered an opposite opinion.
A recommendation to approve continued closure until planning for the area was complete was carried.
