District Plan

What is the District Plan?

The District Plan contains our objectives, policies, rules and maps for managing activities and development in the district.

The Resource Management Act 1991 requires councils to prepare a District Plan.

The District Plan is the main document that sets the framework for managing land use and development within our district. It contains objectives, policies and rules to address resource management issues such as the effects of land use and subdivision, noise and traffic.

The rules of the District Plan set out what activities you can do as of right (permitted activities) and what activities you'll need resource consent for. These rules cover things like residential development, subdivision of land, the height and location of buildings, commercial and industrial developments, heritage and noise.

The District Plan is subject to ongoing monitoring and review and is changed when necessary. Please take care to check if the land, locality or rule you are concerned with is subject to any form of change by checking out the Operative District Plan and any proposed changes that have been advertised.

Operative District Plan - As at: 1 July 2026

The South Waikato District Plan became operative on 1 July 2015.

Since then, the following changes to the Plan have been operative:

Plan Change 1 - Putāruru Growth: Operative 28 April 2021
Plan Change 2 - Infrastructure: Operative 28 April 2021
Amendments required by Clause 17(4) of the National Planning Standards 2019: Operative 31 January 2024
Plan Change 6 - Request from Anzien Ltd (now Waiterra Ltd), Putāruru: Operative 1 April 2026
Plan Change 5 - Request from J&T Quigley Ltd, 1861 Ongaroto Rd: Operative 1 July 2026

The latest version of the Plan is available for viewing online.