Plan Change 2: General Amendments

Overview

Plan Change 2 proposed a suite of technical amendments across multiple chapters of the District Plan to improve clarity, consistency and user experience, and to remove duplication, anomalies and errors. 

In 2023, we sought your feedback on an early version of these changes. After consideration of the feedback, Plan Change 2 was formally notified in August 2024. A hearing was held in November 2024 by an Independent Hearing Commissioner. 

The Hearing Commissioner made recommendations on submissions and these recommendations have been adopted by Council.  

The Plan Change 2 Decision was notified on 26 February 2025. No appeals were received on the plan change.

Plan Change 2 became operative on 14 May 2025. The plan change provisions have been incorporated into our ePlan:

Whangārei ePlan 

For further information on this plan change, please click on the sections above.

Notifications and submissions

The documents in this section contain information on the plan change notification and submissions processes which have now been completed. 

Notification documents

Section 32 Report

This document is required by legislation to support a plan change. It explains the reasons for, and options considered in proposing this plan change.  

The appendices include a marked-up version of proposed changes to District Plan provisions, an amended version of District Plan maps and detailed topic analysis. 

Section 32 Report(PDF, 3MB)

Appendix 1:  Proposed Plan Change 2 Amendments to Whangārei District Plan Text(PDF, 14MB)

Appendix 2:  Proposed Plan Change 2 Amendments to Whangārei District Plan Maps(PDF, 36MB) (large file size)

Appendix 3:  Summary of Planning Standards Definitions Analysis(PDF, 152KB)  

Appendix 4:  Analysis of New Open Space and Recreation Zone Sites(PDF, 168KB)

Other notification documents

Full Public Notice(PDF, 131KB)

Committee Meeting Minutes(PDF, 107KB)

Material proposed to be Incorporated by Reference

Plan Change 2 proposes changes to the definition of Intensive Livestock Farming including incorporation of new material by reference in the definition of Intensive Livestock Farming. 

The Code of Welfare – Layer Hens referenced in this definition can be viewed below.

Code of Welfare - Layer Hens 2018(PDF, 442KB)

Original submissions

Original Submissions 001 - 010(PDF, 6MB)

Original Submissions 011 - 020(PDF, 2MB)

Original Submissions 021(PDF, 32MB) (large file)

Council officers have summarised the original submissions received on PC2 in the below document:

Summary of Decisions Requested(PDF, 246KB)

If making a further submission you must serve a copy of your further submission on the original submitter within five working days. For original submitters contact details, please refer to the below:

Original Submitters Mailing List(PDF, 100KB)

Other original submission documents

Full Public Notice(PDF, 144KB)

Further submissions

Further submissions received can be viewed in the below document. 

Further submissions X022 - X025(PDF, 2MB)

Hearings

Hearing was held at 9:00am on Thursday 28 November 2024 at Whangarei District Council, Te Iwitahi (civic centre), 9 Rust Avenue, Whangārei

The following documents contain information on the General Amendments Hearing.

Information from the Hearings Commissioner

These documents include important information about the hearing process, including time-frames to provide written statements / evidence for the hearing.

Direction 1 from Hearings Commissioner (8 October 2024)(PDF, 173KB)

Minute 1 from Hearings Commissioner (16 December 2024)(PDF, 187KB)

Council hearing documents

Hearing Agenda(PDF, 272KB)

Section 42A Hearing Report

This document is required by legislation to respond to the submissions received on Plan Change 2. The report includes recommendations to accept, accept in part, or reject the decisions requested in submissions.   

The appendix in the report contains the recommended amendments to the proposed Plan Change 2 provisions in response to submissions.

Section 42A Hearing Report(PDF, 746KB)

Memo to Hearing Commissioner - 16 December 2024 Update on Right of Reply Progress (Post-Hearing)(PDF, 126KB)

Right of reply

The Right of Reply document responds to matters raised in pre-hearing evidence and at the hearing. It includes the reporting planner's analysis and recommendations to the Commissioner on whether to accept or reject the changes sought by submitters.

Appendix 1 contains the recommended revised Plan Change 2 provisions, reflecting consideration of the hearing evidence.

Reporting officers' Right of Reply report(PDF, 357KB)

Right of Reply - Addendum (3 February 2025)(PDF, 931KB)

Decision

The following documents contain information on the recommendations from the Hearing Panel, the Decision Version of Plan Change 2 Provisions, and Council’s decision.

Hearing Commissioner's recommendations

Recommendations Report

The Hearing Commissioner's Recommendation Report summarises public submissions, evaluates them, and provides recommendations with reasons for any proposed amendments.

Recommendations Report(PDF, 404KB)

Decision Version Plan Change 2 Provisions

The decision versions of the provisions and maps show the version of the proposed amendments after all submissions and evidence have been considered by the Commissioner and a decision has been made by Council.

The Decision Version Provisions document below shows in track changes all modifications made at different stages of the proposal since its notification, including those made after submissions and the Hearing.

Decision Version Plan Change 2 Provisions(PDF, 57MB) (large file)

Decision Version Plan Change 2 Maps(PDF, 87MB) (large file)

Operative

This plan change is Operative as at 14 May 2025, as per the Seal of Approval below:

Council Seal of Approval(PDF, 147MB) (large file)