This section contains information about our District Plan, District Plan Maps and plan changes.
The district plan is a legal document which sets out Whangarei District Council's policies and objectives for managing the natural and physical resources of the Whangarei District.
The rules in the plan adopt an effects-based rather than an activities-based approach. While the plan does identify types of activity, this has only been done where the specific identification of that activity is the most appropriate way to manage effects. Most rules in the plan relate to any activity.
The intention of the plan is to deal with each effect through a separate rule and the general presumption that every activity, except subdivision, is permitted unless otherwise regulated by the plan.
As a result of the new requirements set within Section 79 of the RMA, Council must review and notify every District Plan provision, whether review concludes that it should be altered or not, within any 10 year period. Council has eight years to review the District Plan in its entirety.
District Plan Rolling Review Proposed Work Programme
Given this extremely demanding legal timeframe, the Policy Team will change its focus from being reactive to proactive. Rather than completing minor changes, the Team will progress with projects on a planned topic basis. A proposed rolling review work programme has been approved by Council in February 2010 to incorporate the priorities set out in Council’s various business plans, asset management plans, and the LTCCP.
As many aspects of the District Plan require input from other Council departments, it is intended that the District Plan rolling review programme be integrated within the LTCCP to allow funding allocation and comprehensive project planning.
As a result of RMAA more emphasis has been placed upon policy, therefore the rolling review will aim to focus primarily on policy formulation over the next three years.
It is acknowledged that timeframes for policy projects proposed for years two and three may be subject to change, according to National and Regional projects, legislation requirements, review of the Regional Policy Statement and Council business.
The Policy Team will take responsibility for the preparation, process and management of Council initiated plan changes. The Policy Team will project manage private plan change applications, with consultants taking responsibility for processing and reporting.
Proposed Work Programme for District Plan Rolling Policy Topics - Years 1 to 3 [PDF: 134kb]
District Plan Changes
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 the council or by members of the public (private plan change). The council reviews and updates the District Plan from time to time.
You can view all District Plan Changes that have been undertaken or are currently being undertaken, on our website.
District Plan Changes
District Plan and GIS Maps
The District Plan is a statutory document which can only be changed through a legal process and is therefore rather static i.e. it does not report on property descriptions and the like. Being a statutory document it does not lean itself to manipulation or search opportunities.
The GIS map system, however, is an interactive system that records all sorts of information including the District Plan Zonings and Resource Areas. People can identify their property and drill down through all the layers to find the information they require including the District Plan information.
To find out which Rules, Policy and Objectives are applicable people will have to go back to the Statutory Document of the District Plan. To receive all information applicable on the property the public are advised to apply for a Land Information Memorandum (LIM).
GIS Maps
Land Information Memorandum (LIM)
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