Submissions Welcomed On The Proposed Wairarapa Combined District Plan
SUBMISSIONS WELCOMED ON THE PROPOSED WAIRARAPA COMBINED DISTRICT PLAN
The Proposed Wairarapa Combined District Plan will be formally notified and made open for public submissions on Wednesday 11 October 2023.
A District Plan sets out rules for land use and subdivision in Wairarapa. It must provide for growth balanced against a community’s desired environmental outcomes. It sets out what activities people can do and what activities need resource consent.
Feedback on the Proposed District Plan will be sought via a formal consultation process, as per the requirements under the Resource Management Act 1991. The public will have an opportunity to provide written submissions over a nine-week period running from 11 October 2023 to 19 December 2023.
Achieving notification is a huge milestone for the Joint Committee, which is made up of Councillors from the three Wairarapa Councils, as well as iwi and commissioners. The committee is chaired by an independent Chairperson (and resource management practitioner and independent Commissioner) - David McMahon.
The Proposed District Plan has been informed by several specialist technical sources and through comprehensive individual, stakeholder and community feedback received during the Draft District Plan feedback process in late 2022.
‘This is the result of nearly three years’ dedicated and focused work by a host of personnel and clear governance from the Joint Committee. Importantly, the Proposed District Plan has been shaped by valuable community and stakeholder feedback received during the Draft District Plan feedback process last year,’ said McMahon. ‘The Joint Committee encourages, and is looking forward to, formal feedback from resource users and the public on the Proposed District Plan,’ he said.
McMahon noted that some of the rules in the Proposed Wairarapa Combined District Plan will have immediate legal effect. ‘This means these rules apply from the date of notification and may result in resource consent being required for some activities that were not otherwise required under the Operative Wairarapa Combined District Plan.’
The Proposed District Plan, including maps, will be made available on the website – www.wairarapaplan.co.nz. The website will contain information on the review and summaries on key topics. The Proposed District Plan will also be made available to view at local libraries and Council offices along with hard copy information brochures and submission forms. Submissions will be invited either online, by email, or by post.
Planning staff will host community ‘drop-in’ sessions, where people can come along to learn more about the Proposed District Plan and how to make a submission.
Following the submissions period, the submissions will be summarised and notified for further submissions. Hearings will be held and the Hearings Panel will make decisions on the submissions. These decisions may be appealed to the Environment Court.
