Proposed District Plan

Waimakariri District Council is planning for the future with our Proposed District Plan. We’re updating the District Plan to ensure it enables economic and residential growth, while protecting the things that make Waimakariri special.

The District Plan sets rules for sustainably managing how people use, subdivide and develop land, what and where they can build and what kind of activities they can undertake. The Plan also controls any adverse effects an activity could have on the neighbourhood and protects the uniqueness of our district by looking after our heritage, cultural values, outstanding landscapes and coastal environment.

The formal submission period for the Proposed Waimakariri District Plan closed on 26 November 2021.

The District Plan is an ePlan, digital (electronic) format, and is available to view here. 

Variation 1 and Variation 2

In December 2021, the government introduced the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (Amendment Act) to amend aspects of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).

The Amendment Act requires Councils to introduce Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) into the Proposed District Plan. It also requires residential areas in the affected townships to be rezoned Medium Density Residential Zone and adopt the MDRS. We've done this by notifying Variation 1 to the Proposed District Plan (submissions closed 9 September 2022). You can find out more here:

• Council Plan Changes and Variations
• Variation 1: Housing Intensification FAQs

Variation 2 is a variation to the Proposed District Plan in respect to financial contributions. Financial contributions may be collected on resource consents or permitted activities to fund upgrades to infrastructure, such as roading and the supply of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, or to offset adverse effects on the environment. Submissions on Variation 2 closed on 9 September 2022. More information is available here:

• Council Plan Changes and Variations
• Variation 2: Financial Contributions FAQs

Further Submissions

The Further Submission period has now closed.

People who represent a relevant aspect of the public interest, or have an interest greater than the general public, may make a further submission on an original submission. These must be submitted in the prescribed form within 10 working days of notification of the summary of submissions and are made in support or opposition to original submissions. The further submission process is not a call for new submission points or topics.

Further submissions can now be made on:

• Proposed District Plan
• Variation 1: Housing Intensification
• Variation 2: Financial Contributions

The summary of submissions were notified on 5 November and the further submission period is open for a maximum of 10 working days as prescribed by the Resource Management Act 1991, closing at 5pm on 21 November.

The Proposed District Plan Summary of Submissions and individual submissions are available to view online.

The Variation 1 Summary of Submissions and individual submissions are available to view online.

The Variation 2 Summary of Submissions and individual submissions are available to view online.

Important: Any person who lodges a further submission with Council must, within five working days of doing so, serve a copy of the further submission to the person(s) who made the original submission(s).

The Council will hold public hearings on the submissions received. Following the hearings we will give notice of the Commissioner’s decisions on the Proposed District Plan, Variation 1 and Variation 2 (and matters raised in submissions, including reasons for accepting or rejecting submissions).

Every submitter then has the right to appeal the decision on the Proposed District Plan and Variation 2 to the Environment Court.

Note: Variation 1: the Amendment Act does not provide for a right of appeal to the Environment Court for provisions proposed under this Variation, except on points of law

The hearings on the Proposed District Plan, Variation 1 and Variation 2 will occur at the same time in mid 2023.

Friend of the submitter

A friend of submitter is available to provide independent support for anyone who wants to make a further submission on the Proposed District Plan, Variation 1 and/ or Variation 2. A friend of submitter can help to explain the plan change/ variation process, provide general advice on how to lodge a further submission and provide good practice tips on completing submissions. The friend of submitter is Jane West, who can be contacted on:

Jane West

Phone: 03 324 3324

Email: WDCMDRS@jwest.co.nz

Get in touch

The Proposed District Plan is a complex document and we're here to answer any questions that you may have. For assistance please email developmentplanning@wmk.govt.nz or call the Development Planning team on 0800 965 468.