NPDC’s Mayor and Councillors have voted to adopt an Independent Commissioner’s recommendation not to allow nearly 60 hectares of land in Ōākura to be rezoned.

The application was to change what the 58 hectares of land is allocated for in the District Plan. The area south of Ōākura is currently zoned as rural and the Private Plan Change Request was to change this to residential, business, rural lifestyle and open space, paving the way for subdividing it into 399 sections.

The application received more than 436 submissions with more than 390 of those opposing the plans. The applicant amended the request in response to evidence at hearings held last year, cutting the scale of the rezoning bid to 15.9ha and 144 subdivisions.

Some of the commissioner’s key reasons for turning down the application include:

· The plan change is not aligned with the ‘growth and direction’ for Ōākura.

· The social and cultural impact on the size of the township had not been adequately evaluated.

· There is already capacity for development and growth for at least 30 years.

The decision to adopt the recommendation was made at the 2 June Full Council meeting and the applicant and submitters now have 30 working days to appeal the decision to the Environment Court. For the full decision and further details about the commissioner’s recommendation, see here.

Link:

https://www.newplymouthnz.com/Council/Council-Documents/Plans-and-Strategies/District-Plan/Operative-District-Plan/Oakura-Rezoning-Plan-Change

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