All Sections of Ruapehu District Plan Operational from 24 December

The day before Christmas will see all sections of Ruapehu’s District Plan fully operational following council’s adoption of the final sections at its meeting last week (25 Nov 14).

The adoption of the final sections which had been under appeal means that all aspects of the Ruapehu District Plan will become operative from 24 December 2014 without exceptions.

Copies of the District Plan will be available for public inspection at all council offices and on-line at www.ruapehudc.govt.nz from this date.

Ruapehu District Council’s (RDC) Manager Community Services, Margaret Hawthorne, said that the adoption of the full District Plan means that the complete development framework for the Ruapehu district is now in place.

“The District Plan is one of Ruapehu’s key documents that set’s out the rules and policies that guide development in the district,” she said.

“In October last year council had partially adopted the District Plan with the exception of two discrete outstanding issues that were still under appeal.”

“The final adoption on Tuesday means that all the rules and policies that will guide development in the district have been set for the next decade.”

Mrs Hawthorne noted that the final approval of the District Plan and all sections becoming fully operational is a hugely significant achievement for both council and the district.

“It has taken around eight years and probably close to a million dollars in costs to reach this point since council first started on the District Plan review,” she said.

“Prior to the launch of the review process there was growing concern within Ruapehu communities about the types of developments that were being undertaken around the district.”

“Council’s proposed changes to the then District Plan generated a significant amount of interest and discussion with the initial submission round attracting over 300 submissions on a wide range of issues.”

“Ultimately there were 17 valid appeals all of which were successfully mediated out of court between council and the appellants.”

“All of the appellants were major corporates or special interest groups.”

Mrs Hawthorne added that the prescribed process for the District Plan review which legally must occur at least every ten years calls for a two stage submission process supported by public hearings with appeals processed by the Environment Court.

“In future it is unlikely that council will undertake a complete ‘head to toe’ review of the District Plan instead undertaking a ‘rolling review’ of discrete sections as required to satisfy the prescribed review process and community interest.”

ENDS

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