District Plan
The District Plan contains rules, policies and objectives to manage the use and development of natural and physical resources in the Hurunui. The District Plan is a framework which shapes the way our district is developed. The District Plan seeks to balance, cultural, environmental and economic interests and make the Hurunui a great place to live.
You should review the District Plan before undertaking any building work or development of your property. This will help you find out whether you can proceed as a permitted activity (i.e. as of right) or whether you need resource consent.
The Council is required to have a district plan prepared under the Resource Management Act 1991. The Hurunui District Plan was made operative on 21 June 2018.
Changes to the District Plan
The District Plan is not a static document. The Council is able to initiate plan changes to update, change, add or remove content. The Council is also able to receive and process plan changes from members of the public. These changes are publicly notified and you are able to take part and have your say through the submission process.
Plan changes
A plan change is a formal process to change, add or remove provisions in the District Plan. Plan changes can be initiated privately or by the Council.
| Plan Change No. | Initiator | Description | Status | Documents |
| 1 | Council | Miscellaneous amendments | Operative 21 February 2019 | Section 32 report (no hearing required) |
| 2 | Council | Mt Lyford | Operative 27 August 2020 | Hearing Commissioner report & recommendations |
| 3 | Private | Rezoning of Morford Estate 88 Argelins Road, Hanmer Springs | Operative 3 September 2020 | Hearing Commissioner report & recommendations |
| 4 | Council | Intensive primary production & effluent disposal | Operative 27 August 2021 | Hearing Commissioner report & recommendations |
| 5 | Council | Hanmer Springs design standards | Operative 28 January 2022 | Hearing Commissioner report & recommendations |
| 6 | Private | Rezoning of Totara Estate, 115 Amberley Beach Road, Amberley | Operative 9 February 2026 | Hearing Commissioner report & recommendations |
Clause 20A amendments
The Council is able to correct minor errors identified in the District Plan without public consultation.
ePlan assistance
The ePlan is an interactive electronic version of the District Plan. It aims to make it easier to find information relevant to your property and to have your say on changes to the District Plan.
You can use the ePlan in two ways:
- Like a book using the ePlan viewer. Click on 'ePlan - view the entire plan and rules'.
- Using the interactive map viewer. Click on 'pick a property'. This allows you to search your property and see all the planning map layers on your property. It also helps direct you to the most relevant parts of the District Plan for your property.
For guidance on using the ePlan click here, or give the Duty Planner a call on 03 314 8816 or email planning@hurunui.govt.nz.
Plan Change 7 - Rosewood Terrace
The Council has initiated a plan change to the Hurunui District Plan to rezone part of the property 185 Ashworths Road, Amberley from Rural Zone to Residential 1 Zone, and apply an Outline Development Zone overlay along with associated changes to the policies and rules applying to the plan change site. The rezoning would enable development of approximately 230 residential lots.
The purpose of the plan change is to allow for the proactive relocation of the Amberley Beach settlement, which is subject to multiple hazards (including coastal erosion and inundation, fluvial and pluvial flooding and rising groundwater) in a manner that is cost neutral to the wider community and which is sensitively located within, and integrated with, the surrounding environment.
Information on the plan change is available here.
