Plan Change 2 proposes 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.
To see the most up-to-date information on this plan change, please click on the sections above.
Legal status of Plan Change 2
Plan Change 2 is made up of 48 distinct topics.
Any resource consent application that is decided on and issued on or after 7 August 2024 needs to have regard to proposed Plan Change 2.
Some rules proposed by Plan Change 2 did not receive a submission in opposition and have been "treated as operative" as of 3 October 2024 in accordance with the requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991. This means the old rule no longer applies, and the new rule now applies.
The remaining topics that were challenged by submissions have now been decided on with any resulting changes to the proposed rules shown in the Decision Version provisions and maps. These rules have “legal effect” as of 26 February 2025. This means both the Operative and Proposed versions of the relevant rule were considered when seeking a resource consent. No appeals were received on the Decision Version, so these rules are now also treated as operative as of 10 April 2025.
Rule SUB-R2.1(a)(i) proposed as part of the plan change has immediate legal effect from 7 August 2024 in accordance with the requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991.
What changes are being proposed?
The amendments proposed by Plan Change 2 include:
- amendments to specific rules to fix loopholes and / or unintended issues
- amendments to specific definitions and insertion of new definitions required by the National Planning Standards
- amendments to District Plan maps, including
- removal of obsolete mapping layers
- removing zone mapping from road parcels
- updates to zoning of new Open Space and Recreation Zone land
- correction of errors in the Open Space and Recreation Zone categories.
What is a District Plan?
The Whangārei District Plan sets out how land in the District can be used, developed and subdivided. It includes objectives, policies, and methods to achieve the sustainable management of resources within the Whangārei District.
What does this mean for my property?
Any changes will not affect existing buildings or property unless you plan to make changes to them.
The impact of the changes on your property depends on what development plans you have for your property. In some cases, the proposed changes may relax current rules, while in other cases may make them more restrictive.
Some examples of this include changes to the rules for:
- boundary adjustment subdivisions
- subdivision of sites subject to covenants in the Large Lot Residential Zone
- community signs
- food and beverage activities in the Mixed Use Zone
- artisan industrial activities
- minor rezoning of some sites in the Open Space and Recreation Zones.
You can find out what rules currently apply to your property by searching our ePlan. Please note: The Plan Change 2 Decision version provisions are now treated as operative and apply instead of the original provisions in the ePlan.
Decision Version Plan Change 2 Provisions(PDF, 57MB) (large file)
ePlan – our District Plan
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)
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.
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)