The District Plan sets the rules for how land can be used, developed and subdivided. It also controls adverse effects and protects our heritage, cultural values, outstanding landscapes and coastal environment.

We’re pleased to have landed on a plan that provides for growth and sets a clear direction for future development while ensuring the unique character of Waimakariri remains.

Waimakariri has been a growth district for decades and there is a lot of interest for development here.

As such it’s been a busy couple of years for our team, who have facilitated more than 20 hearings as part of the Proposed District Plan process since 2021.

Since starting the process, changes in government direction and in legislation have added more complexity.

Hearings on the District Plan were made up of a combination of four independent commissioners and two councillors, who were appointed to ensure the process was fair, transparent, and that all proposals were considered on their merit.

Panel members included:

• Gina Sweetman – Chair. She is an accredited and experienced RMA Hearings Commissioner (Chair endorsement) and a Development Contribution Commissioner and Freshwater Commissioner. She works nationwide as a commissioner and planning consultant.
• Gary Rae. Previous roles in Canterbury include planning consultant in private practice, Area Planner for Christchurch City Council, and Regional Planner for the former Transit New Zealand.  He is an accredited RMA Hearings commissioner (chair endorsement), with recent experience on district plan review panels in Dunedin City and in Selwyn District.
• Allan Cubitt. He is an accredited and experienced RMA Hearings Commissioner (Chair endorsement), a Freshwater Commissioner, and an independent chairperson and facilitator. He has recently chaired a number of plan hearings, including the Southland Regional Policy Statement and the Hurunui District Plan.
• Megen McKay is a specialist consultant, enabling strategic partnering with mana whenua for enduring outcomes for hapū and communities generally. She is an accredited Independent Hearing Commissioner, where she can contribute her legal skills and good understanding of tikanga and local hapū to enable good decision-making.
• Councillor Niki Mealings is an accredited RMA Hearings Commissioner and a second term councillor on the Waimakariri District Council for the Oxford-Ohoka Ward. In her last term, she was associate portfolio holder District Plan Development, sat on the District Planning and Regulation Committee and was a member of the Greater Christchurch Partnership committee
• Councillor Neville Atkinson is an accredited RMA Hearings Commissioner. Neville has spent the past 21 years representing Kaiapoi and Tuahiwi as a Waimakariri District Councillor, three of those years as the Deputy Mayor. Neville is on the District Planning and Regulation Committee, the Waimakariri Mahi Tahi joint Committee, and the joint Greater Christchurch Partnership / Urban Development Committee.

Mayor Dan Gordon said “the Council would like to thank the panel as well as submitters who have played a vital role in ensuring our District continues to develop sustainably. We want to ensure residents understand what this means so have organised a series of drop-ins where locals can stop in to find out what the new plan might mean for them.”

Some of the main changes in the plan are:

• Identifying growth directions around our towns Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford and Woodend. This rezoning has increased the housing capacity between 14,000 to 17,000 dwellings which is enough for 30 years
• Clarification on rural zones – with a 20ha General Rural Zone, and a 4ha Rural Lifestyle Zone
• Easing rules to allow the building of secondary dwellings/ granny flats
• Addressing natural hazards and risk from climate change
• Clarifying the rules around quarries
• Putting in place protection for heritage buildings and notable trees
• The independent hearings panel has recommended that several rezoning requests be declined in the Swannanoa, Mandeville and Ohoka area, including the proposal of the Carter Group/Rolleston Industrial rezoning in Ohoka
• Among many more.

The Council accepted all the recommendations of the hearings panels on the Proposed Plan.

There is a lot to the District Plan. If you’re interested and want to find out more information visit our website Waimakariri.govt.nz and search ‘District Plan’, which will be updated following the notification of the Council’s decision – which is expected to take place on 14 July.

Council have planned a series of drop in sessions for anyone who would like to learn about the plan and ask questions:

• 21 July – Rangiora. Council Chambers. 5 – 7pm
• 28 July – Kaiapoi. Kaiapoi Ruataniwha Library. 5 -7pm
• 29 July – Oxford. Oxford A&P Showroom. 5 – 7pm
• 5 August – Woodend. Woodend Community Centre Room B. 5 – 7pm

We also have duty planners on call throughout each week who are available to provide information on the process and new rules. To book in a time call 0800 965 468 (0800 WMK GOV).

Formal notification of the decision is expected on 14 July.