The District Plan sets the rules for how the district’s land can be used, developed and subdivided. A District Plan is a statutory document developed under the Resource Management Act that promotes the sustainable management of our natural and physical resources.
The District Plan affects our current and future environment and controls the scale, form and intensity of development – along with other matters such as noise, earthworks, transport, protecting our natural environment, cultural values, heritage buildings and responses to natural hazards. With this in mind, every development project needs to be assessed against the District Plan to determine whether a resource consent is required.
District Plan Review
We are required by the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) to review our District Plan every 10 years and make sure it is up to date with national policies and regulations that have come into force since the last District Plan was prepared.
The Proposed District Plan was notified on 18 September 2021. The Council has been holding public hearings on the submissions received since mid-2023.
Learn more about the District Plan review.
Plan Changes
A plan change is a formal process under the Resource Management Act 1991 to change one or more provisions of the District Plan, including the objectives, policies, rules or zoning of land.
Plan changes can be privately or Council initiated and typically follow a similar process of assessment and public notification before decisions are made.
More information can be found on the District Plan Changes page.
Get in Touch
The District Plan is a complex document and we're here to answer any questions that you may have. For assistance please email duty.planner@wmk.govt.nz or call us on 0800 965 468.
Disclaimer for the Waimakariri District Plan
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that this online version of the District Plan is accurate and up-to-date, it should not be regarded as the definitive version of the District Plan.
In addition, as the Planning Maps use colour to depict zonings and highlight features, they should not be printed without a key also being printed at the same time to avoid misinterpretation of the colours.