What is a District Plan?
A District Plan is a document that sets out the guidance and rules on how you can use and develop your land.
How does the District Plan affect you?
The District Plan affects the way you and your neighbours can use and develop your properties. It identifies a range of activities that are anticipated in the district, where they should occur and regulates these activities through the objectives, policies, rules and definitions.
A District Plan determines:
- Whether you can subdivide your property.
- Whether you can develop your property and how.
- Whether your property is affected by restrictive rules regarding:
- Natural hazards
- Significant Natural Areas (SNAs)
- Historic sites
- Landscapes
- Sites of Significance to Māori
- Public access
- How your neighbour can develop their property.
- Oher controls on matters such as noise, light, earthworks, infrastructure and signs
What is the Proposed Waitaki District Plan
Waitaki District Council is in the process of reviewing its current District Plan. The Proposed Waitaki District Plan is their formal proposal to replace their current District Plan.
What’s the process for reviewing the District Plan?
The process for reviewing the District Plan looks like this:
- The Proposed District Plan is notified for submissions (in progress)
- Council publishes a summary of submissions
- Opportunity for make further submissions
- Hearing on submissions
- Decisions version of the Proposed District Plan released
- Appeals on the decisions on the Proposed District Plan
- Once appeals are resolved, the Proposed District Plan becomes Operative.
Can I have a say?
Waitaki District Council is now seeking submissions on their Proposed District Plan with the deadline for submissions finishing near the end of May 9 2025.
How we can help
Perspective Consulting specialises in making and submitting on District Plans. We can help you make a submission, provided expert evidence at the hearing and lodge appeals. We can also give you advice on how to engage with Council and what action to take now before any of the rules in the district plan have legal effect.
