We have been planning these changes since early 2025. However, in August 2025, the central government announced a pause on such plans. To move forward, council officers applied to Minister Bishop for an exception, which was granted in January.

Every council is required to have a district plan. It is a ‘rule book’ that directs how we will use, develop and subdivide land in our district. It includes our environmental objectives and policies and sets out the rules to help us achieve those goals. It specifies what can and can’t be done without a resource consent, and the standards that must be followed. District plans ensure that our district's current needs, including economic and residential growth, are balanced with protecting the natural environment for our residents today and for future generations.

Our District Plan maps show the zonings that apply across the district, for instance:

• Residential
• Rural
• Commercial/ Retail
• Industrial/Service

For each zone, our District Plan has a set of provisions that regulate activities within them. There are also rules that apply across the district. For instance, the District Plan includes rules relating to matters such as natural hazards, historic heritage, sites and areas of significance to Māori and significant natural areas.

District Plans are constantly under review, there can be many reasons a council will undergo a plan change.

We don’t always get it right, the community needs change, or there may be unintended consequences in our District Plan that we need to address. In this instance council can initiate a plan change, we need to follow legislative processes. Plan changes can be initiated by the council or community.

By incorporating the Draft Structure Plan into the District Plan, the community would have assurance that connectivity between Tavistock and Pōrangahau Roads, as well as the wetland areas around the stormwater ponds, would be protected should development occur. It is important to note that the land within the precinct is not owned by the Council; however, any future development would need to align with the Draft Structure Plan.

A structure plan is the framework that guides the development of a specific area. It shapes future land use, infrastructure, open space, and transportation networks while addressing critical factors such as geological risks (e.g., fault lines) and sustainable stormwater management to mitigate flooding and erosion.

Think of it as a big picture road map for shaping how this area grows.

We asked for community feedback on the draft structure plan in 2025

No, If adopted this change would mean that businesses and landowners would be able to install solar panels to power their own sites without needing resource consent.