Public Consultation - Plan Change 4

A plan change updates the District Plan, which sets out the rules that guide how land can be used and developed. Plan Change 4 specifically relates to:

• response to the Growth Plan 2024–2054
• identifying new areas for housing, business, and industry
• updating rules to better support growth
• introducing future urban zones to stage development over time

Council is planning for future population and business growth. Plan Change 4 is intended to make sure the district has enough land for housing, businesses and industry over the next 30 years, and it responds to the Growth Plan 2024–2054. It also identifies some land for longer-term future urban use, so it can be protected from development that might make future growth harder.

Plan Change 4 implements the district’s growth strategy and prepares for future population and economic growth. It proposes:

• seven “live zoned” growth cells (ready for development once approved)
• six future urban zones (released over time as needed)
• four small rezoning areas to reflect existing land use
• updated policies to support urban growth and intensification
• stronger natural hazard protections
• more flexible subdivision rules
• changes to support modern housing types
• updates to enable more residential activity in town centres

A growth cell is an area of land identified for urban development. In Plan Change 4, the growth cells are proposed to be “live zoned”, meaning the zoning would change now so the land can be developed for the intended urban purpose, subject to the relevant rules and any required consents. Growth cells are proposed for new residential and industrial development.

A future urban zone is land set aside for possible urban development in the longer term. It is not intended to be fully developed straight away. The purpose of the future urban zone is to protect land that may be needed for future housing, commercial or industrial growth, while avoiding subdivision or development that could make future urban development difficult.

Plan Change 4 proposes seven new live-zoned growth cells and six future urban zones.

The steps completed so far include:

• Growth Plan development and adoption
• technical assessments (infrastructure, transport, hazards)
• plan drafting and evaluation (Section 32 report)
• Council approval to publicly notify

The next steps to be completed include:

• public notification and submissions
• summary of submissions and further submissions
• hearings
• Council decisions
• right of appeal to the Environment Court

• minimum lot size reduced from 450m² to 300m²
• smaller allotments easier to consent
• supports more efficient land use

The proposed Tīrau growth cells are:

• Tīrau Growth Cell 1, Church Street, residential
• Tīrau Growth Cell 2, Parapara Road West, residential
• Tīrau Growth Cell 3, Parapara Road East, residential

The proposed Tīrau future urban zones are:

• Tīrau Residential Future Urban Zone, Parapara Road West
• Tīrau Industrial Future Urban Zone, State Highway 27

Plan Change 4 also proposes to remove an inaccessible rural lifestyle zone east of the railway and rezone it to general rural zone.

The proposed Putāruru growth area is:

• Putāruru Growth Cell 5, Arapuni Street, residential

The proposed Putāruru future urban zones are:

• Putāruru Residential Future Urban Zone, south of Nola Street / Totara StreetPutāruru Commercial Future Urban Zone, south of Princes Street

Other proposed changes include:

• rezoning the rear of 95–99 and 101–103 Tīrau Street (SH1) from commercial to residentialrezoning land between Alexander Crescent and Walsall Rise from rural to rural lifestyle zone

The proposed Tokoroa growth cells are:

• Tokoroa Growth Cell 1, 292 Maraetai Road North, residentialTokoroa Growth Cell 2, Richmond Avenue, residential
• Tokoroa Growth Cell 3, SH1/Campbell Road, industrial

The proposed Tokoroa future urban zones are:

• Tokoroa Residential Future Urban Zone 1, 234 and 242 Maraetai Road
• Tokoroa Residential Future Urban Zone 2, Paraonui Road

Plan Change 4 also proposes to rezone the Princess Beatrix Avenue area from general rural to residential.

No. Plan Change 4 changes zoning, but it also changes the planning rules that apply to matters including subdivision, housing, infrastructure, transport, natural hazards, earthworks, signs, and the residential, town centre and industrial zones. It amends 16 existing chapters of the District Plan, adds five new chapters, changes the planning maps and adds a new appendix.

Yes, in some cases. The plan change proposes to reduce the minimum lot size in the general residential zone from 450 m² to 300 m². It also proposes to remove the requirement for restricted discretionary consent for residential lots between 300 m² and 450 m². This means those subdivisions would generally be assessed as controlled activities, provided the relevant standards are met.

Yes. The plan change supports a wider range of housing types in residential areas, including duplex units and terraced housing, where standards are met and the effects on neighbours are managed. It also introduces new definitions, including “duplex units”, “minor residential unit”, “shared outdoor space” and “habitable room”.

Plan Change 4 introduces the definition of “minor residential unit” to support the Government’s changes to make it easier to build granny flats or similar small units.

Not specifically. The plan change does not create a separate medium density residential zone. Council considered that option but instead proposes to allow a wider range of housing types within the general residential zone.

Apartments, duplexes and terraced housing may be possible where the relevant rules and consent requirements are met.

Council considered a medium density residential zone, but decided a more flexible approach was to amend the general residential zone rules. This means higher density housing could be considered in appropriate locations across the towns, rather than being limited to only specific mapped areas.

Plan Change 4 proposes changes to better support the existing town centres in Tīrau, Putāruru and Tokoroa. These include better providing for residential activity in town centres while protecting shop frontages, supporting pedestrian-focused streetscapes, improving town centre vitality, and promoting Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.

Yes. Plan Change 4 proposes to better provide for residential activities in town centres, including residential activities above or behind shops and offices. However, the plan change does not propose to allow ground-floor residential activity in shop frontages.

Plan Change 4 proposes a new industrial growth cell in Tokoroa at SH1/Campbell Road. This land is proposed to be rezoned from general rural to general industrial.

The plan change also proposes water and wastewater caps for this industrial growth cell to make sure new activities do not use more infrastructure capacity than planned.

HUE stands for Household Unit Equivalent. It is a way of measuring the demand that new development places on infrastructure and services, such as water, wastewater and roads. Plan Change 4 uses HUE limits to manage how much development can occur in each growth cell before infrastructure capacity becomes an issue.

Water and wastewater limits are included to make sure growth does not exceed the capacity of public infrastructure. The plan change includes rules to limit water and wastewater demand in most growth areas, including the new Tokoroa industrial growth cell and residential growth cells.

Plan Change 4 strengthens the connection between growth and infrastructure planning. It introduces objectives, policies and rules to make sure new growth areas are developed in an integrated and coordinated way. This includes considering water, wastewater, transport, network utilities and the timing of development.

The plan change includes amendments to support better transport planning in and around the new growth cells and future urban zones.

The changes address matters such as:

• walking and cycling linkages
• safe crossing points and access points
• effects on the transport network
• indicative roads

An indicative road is a mapped road location that shows where a road connection may be needed in the future. Plan Change 4 proposes a new rule requiring resource consent for activities located within 10 m of an indicative road in the future urban zones. This is intended to make sure future roading options are not compromised.

The plan change strengthens the natural hazards provisions. It includes new policies and rules about flood risk, minimum floor levels, setbacks, liquefaction-prone land and high-risk flood zones. The aim is to make sure new subdivision and development properly assess natural hazard risks before development occurs.

Plan Change 4 proposes a new definition and rule for high-risk flood zones. Earthworks and non-habitable buildings in high-risk flood zones would require discretionary activity consent. Habitable buildings in high-risk flood zones are proposed to be non-complying activities.

Plan Change 4 proposes to amend the air emissions rules so dust nuisance provisions also apply to the future urban zone and to all town centre zones. This corrects an existing issue where dust from construction could not be managed in some town centre zones.

Plan Change 4 proposes changes to internal noise design rules in town centres. This is to support residential use in town centres while making sure residential activities and visitor accommodation have appropriate internal noise levels.

Plan Change 4 proposes a change to the natural character chapter to signal that Council may require an esplanade strip beside streams in the proposed Tīrau industrial future urban zone. Esplanade strips can help manage water quality and conservation values.

Yes, rural activities can continue in the future urban zone. The purpose of the future urban zone is not to immediately develop the land, but to protect it for future urban use. However, some activities may be restricted if they could compromise the future urban use of the land.

Yes, some areas are proposed to be rezoned from rural lifestyle to residential, future urban, or general rural depending on the location. For example, some Tīrau land at Parapara Road is proposed to change from rural lifestyle to residential, and an inaccessible rural lifestyle area east of the railway is proposed to be removed.

No, there are no identified cultural heritage sites on the land proposed to be rezoned. None of the land affected is Māori land. Marae development and papakāinga are proposed to be restricted discretionary activities in the residential future urban zones. The plan change also includes strategic provisions recognising tangata whenua values and the importance of Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato.

Yes. Council has worked closely with iwi throughout the process. Both Te Arawa River Iwi Trust and Raukawa Settlement Trust have approved the plan change for notification.