Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area

Further submissions for late submissions received closed on 10 December 2021 at 4pm.

Waitārere Beach Master Plan thumbnail image.

Overview

Proposed Plan Change 5 focuses on rezoning an area of land to the east of the existing Waitārere Beach settlement.  The area covers over 100ha and focuses on future residential and commercial development in the Growth Area.

The Horowhenua District is expected to experience rapid population growth over the coming years.

Over the last couple of years there has been increasing residential development at Waitārere Beach. As a result more land is needed to provide for residential development for the long term future over the next 20 – 30 years.

To ensure growth occurs in the area in a way that is integrated and complements the character of the existing settlement, Council prepared a Master Plan to guide future development.

Proposed Plan Change 5 implements the Waitārere Beach Master Plan through the rezoning of a growth area to the East of the existing settlement to allow for residential and commercial development.

Key outcomes

The proposed plan change seeks to deliver a number of key outcomes for Waitārere Beach, including:

  • Future development is effectively integrated and connected with the existing settlement.
  • A diverse range of housing is enabled to be developed, suitable for the character of the settlement.
  • The provision of connected and high amenity green spaces. 
  • The development of destination commercial opportunities that support the existing village centre.

Public Notification and Submissions

Proposed Plan Change 5 was publicly notified on 19 March 2021. Submissions closed at 4pm on 27 April 2021.

The Section 32 Report, technical reports and Proposed District Plan chapters (included in Appendix 1 of the Section 32 Report Appendices) are all available to view below. 

Late Submissions

Following the close of submissions and further submissions, two late submissions were received, one from the Muaūpoko Tribal Authority and one from Ngāti Huia.  A summary of the late submissions was prepared.

Full Submissions

Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Late Submissions 16 & 17 (pages 1-18)(PDF, 6MB)

Summary of Submissions

Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Summary of Late Submissions (ordered by submission point)(PDF, 255KB)

Further Submissions on Late Submissions

Council called for further submissions on the late submissions that were received on Plan Change 5, on 26 November 2021. A further submission is made either in support of, or opposition to, another person’s submission. They must be limited to the matters that were raised in submissions. It gives you the chance to consider the impact an original submission may have on you, and to have your views considered alongside the original submission.

IMPORTANT: Council would like to acknowledge that the round of further submissions had previously closed in June, but chose to provide opportunity for the additional two submissions to be responded to. The additional further submission period remained open for ten (10) working days for late submissions 16 and 17. The previous further submission period for submissions 1-15 had been closed.

The following people/groups could make a further submission:

  • any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest
  • any person who has an interest in the Proposed Plan Change that is greater than the interest that the general public has (for example, affected landowners are those who already made a submission)
  • Horowhenua District Council itself.

A further submission can only support or oppose the late submissions that have already been made, and cannot introduce additional matters. Any further submission must clearly state the number of the original submission to which the further submission relates. Please refer to the summary table within the summary of submissions report on Council’s website which outlines the relevant specific point reference (for example 05/00/01).

IMPORTANT: Any person making a further submission to Plan Changes 5 must send a copy of their further submission to the person who made the original submission within five (5) working days of lodging their further submission with the Council. The address for service for each submitters is included in the summary of submissions report.

Further Submissions on Late Submissions Received

Council received a total of three further submissions on the late submissions. This round of further submissions provided the opportunity to submit on late submissions 16 and 17, received after the closing of Council's previous round of submissions and further submissions.

A full copy of the further submissions on the late submissions is available to view below.

Further Submissions on Late Submissions(PDF, 3MB)

Summary of Submissions

Council received 15 submissions on Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area during the original submission period from 19 March 2021 to 27 April 2021.

Horowhenua District Council gave notice, as required by Clause 7 of the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991, of the availability of a summary of decisions requested by people making submissions to Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area and invited further submissions on the plan change to support or oppose the points raised by other submitters.

Further Submissions

Further submissions opened on 28 May 2021 and closed on 14 June 2021. 

The following people/groups could make a further submission:

  • any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest
  • any person who has an interest in the Proposed Plan Change that is greater than the interest that the general public has (for example, affected landowners are those who already made a submission)
  • Horowhenua District Council itself.

A further submission can only support or oppose submissions that have already been made, and cannot introduce additional matters. Any further submission must clearly state the number of the original submission to which the further submission relates.

IMPORTANT: Any person making a further submission to Plan Change 5 must send a copy of their further submission to the person who made the original submission within five (5) working days of lodging their further submission with the Council. The address for service for each submitter is included in the summary of submissions report.

A full copy and summaries of the submissions are available for viewing below.

Full Submissions

Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Table of Contents (page 1)(PDF, 141KB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Submissions 1 to 15 (pages 2-159)(PDF, 23MB)

Summary of Submissions

Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Summary of Submissions (ordered by submitter)(PDF, 951KB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Summary of Submissions (ordered by submission point)(PDF, 865KB)

Proposed Plan Change 5: Summary of Information(PDF, 1MB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Section 32 Report(PDF, 3MB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Section 32 Report Appendices - Part 1 (Appendix 1 to 3)(PDF, 19MB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Section 32 Report Appendices - Part 2 (Appendix 4 to 8)(PDF, 15MB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area - Zoning Map(PDF, 497KB)
Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Structure Plan(PDF, 608KB)

Hard copies of these documents are available to view at the following locations:

  • Horowhenua District Council office: 126 Oxford Street. Hours: 8am to 5pm on Monday to Friday.
  • Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō: 10 Bath Street, Levin. Hours: 9am to 5.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am to 9pm on Wednesday, 10am to 4pm on Saturday and 1pm to 4pm on Sunday.
  • Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom: 92 Main Street, Foxton. Hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.
  • Shannon Library: Plimmer Terrace. Hours: 10am to 12 noon, 1pm to 5pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 12 noon Saturday.

The following Drop-in sessions were held at Waitārere Scout Hall to give people the opportunity to chat to our Council Officers around Proposed Plan Change 5: Waitārere Beach Growth Area:

  • Tuesday 6 April 2021, 10am to 12:30pm
  • Sunday 11 April 2021, 2pm to 4pm
  • Monday 12 April 2021, 4pm to 6pm.

What is a Plan Change?

A plan change is a change to a District Plan, which is a public process requiring research, evaluation and consultation. A plan change can be initiated by us or by members of the public (private plan change). Examples of possible plan changes include:

  • Rezoning of land.
  • Addition of a building to the schedule of heritage buildings.
  • Amendments to rules.

What is the Plan Change process?

The RMA outlines the plan change process that we are required to follow. Consultation and community involvement, including pre-consultation, notification, submission and hearing processes, are important steps in the plan change process.

  1. Initial issue identification and pre-consultation process. 
  2. Plan change drafting (eg preparing proposed rules, objectives and policies) and assessment of the proposal (s32 evaluation report).
  3. Plan change approved by the Council for public notification.
  4. Plan change publicly notified for submissions.
  5. Submissions summarised.
  6. Summary of submissions publicly notified for further submissions (cross submissions).
  7. Public notification of summary of submissions for further submissions (10 working days).
  8. Submissions and further submissions analysed. In some cases further technical information may be needed. Preparation of s42a report (recommendations on the submissions).
  9. Hearings.
  10. Public notification of decisions.

Once decisions are notified, any party who made a submission has the opportunity to appeal all or part of the decision to the Environment Court.

What is a Hearing?

Plan Changes are heard by a Hearings Panel. The role of the Hearings Panel is to make a decision on the proposed plan change, including making decisions on points raised in submissions. Members of the Hearings Panel must be accredited Hearings Commissioners and can include Elected Members of the Council as well as independent commissioners. Often Plan Change Hearings Panels will include both.

Anyone can attend a hearing, but only some people can speak. The following people can speak at a Plan Change hearing:

  • the applicant (if relevant) and anyone presenting evidence on their behalf
  • submitters who have requested to be heard and anyone presenting evidence on their behalf
  • the Planner on behalf of the Council
  • any other experts presenting evidence on behalf of the council who had a report circulated before the hearing
  • any committee member or commissioner(s).

You can find further information about the hearings process on the Ministry for the Environment website.

If you have any questions about Proposed Plan Change 5 then you can email them to districtplan@horowhenua.govt.nz or call us on 06 366 0999 and ask to speak to a member of the Strategic Planning Team.