District Plan
Purpose of the District Plan
The Hurunui District Plan is a legal document which affects the day-to-day lives of everbody in the Hurunui District. The Plan is a requirement of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The purpose of the RMA is the sustainable management of natural and physical resources while avoiding, remedying or mitigating adverse environmental effects and providing for the well being of communities. The Plan's framework provides objectives, policies and methods to manage the use and development of natural and physical resources to meet the purpose of the RMA.
The current Hurunui District Plan was made operative on 7th August 2003 but it has not been frozen in time. The Council has processed nearly 30 changes to parts of the Plan since it became operative. The Council is also required to review the Plan every 10 years.
District Plan Review
A District Plan Review is similar to a Plan Change, except that all provisions of the District Plan need to be comprehensively reviewed by the Council. Under the RMA the Council is required to review its District Plan every 10 years.
The Council has initiated the review and confirmed that it will be undertaking a full review of the District Plan.
When is the Next District Plan Review?
The review must commence before 7th August 2013.
Any changes considered necessary to the District Plan as a result of the review are required to be processed according to the requirements of Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act 1991, which sets out the relevant timeframes, public submission rights and decision making processes. Public input into the review is essential to ensure that the Hurunui District meets the needs and expectations of those who will be living and working here in the future.
If you would like further information contact our Senior Planner.
Issues Survey 2011
One of the first steps of the District Plan review project is to conduct an issues survey. The survey results will help council to identify significant resource management issues within the District and provide the Council with more general information that will contribute to the review of the Hurunui District Plan. The survey is being distributed to 600 households that were selected randomly and proportioned across the wards – Hanmer Springs, Amuri-Hurunui, Cheviot, Glenmark and Amberley.
The Council decided that the best way to ensure a high return rate of the surveys was through a fundraising exercise for local community groups. Community groups have been recommended by Councillors from each ward. Community groups will earn $6 for every completed survey that is returned.
Completed surveys can be returned directly to any of the Hurunui District Council service centres located in Amberley, Culverden, Hanmer Springs and Cheviot. The survey results will be available here. If you have any questions about the survey please contact either Rachel McClung (03) 314 0047 or Rebecca Holden (03) 314 0058.
Recent District Plan Changes
The District Plan was last amended 13 July 2011.
Plan Change 15 (Buxton Valley Management Area) was publicly notified on 26 July 2008 and the change became operative on 20 September 2010.
Plan Change 16 (Woodbank (River Edge) Zone) was publicly notified on 15 November 2008. The appeal to this plan change has been settled by Environment Court Consent Order and the change became operative on 15 June 2010.
Plan Change 18 (Frost Control Fans) was publicly notified on 6 December 2008 and the change became operative on 13 July 2011.
Plan Change 21 (Waipara Oaks) is a private plan change request to rezone approximately 13.0366ha of General Management land at 274 Glenmark Drive, Waipara (approximately 800m north of the existing Waipara Township), to Residential zoning, creating the potential for an estimated 125-150 residential allotments. Further submissions closed on 26 May 2010. The hearing is likely to be delayed for some time due to the Christchurch earthquake.
Plan Change 22 (Financial Contributions) was publicly notified on 14 April 2010. The change became operative on 15 December 2010.
Plan Change 23 (Urban Subdivision and Independent Senior Living Units) was publicly notified on 26 June 2010. The provisions relate to Independent Senior Living Units became operative on 24 August 2011, and the provisions that relate to Urban Subdivision became operative on 16 December 2011, making this change fully operative.
Plan Change 24 (St James Estate) rezoned approximately 25.4ha of General Management land (on Hanmer Springs Road (SH7A), bordered by Argelins Road to the west). This provides for a mix of residential zoning ranging from 350m2 – 1000m2, and includes open space areas, with future development guided by an ‘Outline Development Plan’. The change became operative on 11 May 2011.
Plan Change 25 (Amberley Business and Industrial Zones) introduces a new Business 1 (town centre) zone at Amberley with associated policies and rules and rezones land at Grays Road to Industrial Zone. The change became operative on 15 December 2010.
Plan Change 26 (Conway Hills Station Significant Natural Areas Review) redefines SNAs 46 (Okarahia Stream bush), 47 (Peaked Hill bush), and 48 (Conway Hills bush) at Conway Hills Station, Cheviot. The change became operative on 10 June 2011.
Plan Change 27 (Minor Dwelling Units) introduces specific provisions for minor dwelling units (MDUs) allowing for their establishment as a permitted activity, subject to meeting requirements relating to siting, size, and relationship to the main dwelling on a site. The change became operative on 7 September 2011.
Plan Change 28 (Hanmer Springs Multiple Unit Dwellings): introduces new provisions for multiple unit dwellings within the Business Zone at Hanmer Springs as a Discretionary Activity, subject to standards and terms; extends the Business Zone Boundary to incorporate land with existing business activities; and increases the maximum building height to 10 metres across the Business Zone at Hanmer Springs, but retains the 7.5 metre height limit for sites that share a boundary with a site zoned residential or open space. The hearing was held on 13 December 2011 and a decision is pending.
Plan Change 29 (Mendip Hills Significant Natural Area Review) redefines Significant Natural Area 51 (Black hills) at Mendip Hills, Parnassus and is effective immediately under s86B(3)(b) of the Resource Management Act 1991. The Council's decision on the plan change was notified 9 November 2011.
Plan Change 31 (Hanmer Springs Carparking) introduces on-site car parking standards specific to Hanmer Springs. It does so by inserting new requirements in the Hanmer Springs urban area for some types of activities. The Plan Change also provides for the district-wide car parking requirements to be updated to reflect current New Zealand Standards and the New Zealand Building Code. The hearing was held on 13 December 2011 and a decision is pending.
Plan Change 32 (Rural Subdivision and Hanmer Basin - Woodbank Road) introduces changes to the subdivision standards for the General Management Area. These include lowering the minimum subdivision allotment area from 5ha to 4ha and allowing a sub-4ha lot to be subdivided as a one-off option, provided the balance of the land needed to make up the 4ha average is maintained. This balance area of land would be contained in the balance lot and legally protected in order to maintain rural density. The hearing was held on 13 December 2011 and a decision is pending.
Hurunui District Plan Framework
The Hurunui District Plan is divided into three main parts:
Management Strategy
Issues, objectives, policies and methods
This part of the Plan identifies important issues within the Hurunui District based on broad concepts such as:
- Use of non-renewable resource (eg. land and soil)
- Protection of resources with significant value (eg. heritage)
- Protection and enhancement of environmental quality (eg. opens space, privacy, sunlight, visual amenity)
- Hazards mitigation (eg. flooding)
Under the broader heading, issues are identified and objectives established to address those issues. Policies are developed for each objective and more specific methods for achieving those policies are set down.
The first section of the Plan establishes a hierarchy of management tools on which the remainder of the District Plan is based.
Management Code
Rules and assessment criteria
This section of the District Plan implements the objectives and policies set out in the Management Strategy. The Management Code is the rule section of the Plan and is divided into the following sections:
- District-wide Rules
- Environments of Special Concern (eg. urban areas, Hanmer Basin and coastal environments)
- General Procedures (including assessment criteria*)
- Interpretation
- Appendices
* The Assessment Criteria contained in the General Procedures assist planners in processing resource consents and should be considered when preparing consent applications.
Planning Maps
The Planning Maps are contained in a separate volume to the text of the Plan. The maps are divided into two sections for ease of use:
- General Management Area (rural)
- Urban Area (eg. residential, business, industrial and open space)
More Information
For more information about the District Plan or to establish what zone you are in and how rules may affect you, please contact Planning at the Amberley Office of the Hurunui District Council or email a Planning Officer.
The District Plan is available for purchase in hard copy and on CD. For costings, please see our Fees and Charges schedule.