Nelson City Council will host a series of informative neighbourhood meetings and an online webinar aimed at engaging the community in discussions about Plan Change 29. These meetings, chaired by elected members, will provide residents with the opportunity to learn more about the proposed changes for their individual neighbourhoods, ask questions, and find out more about the submissions process. In addition to these meetings, Council planners will be available at specific times and days at the region’s libraries to meet one-on-one with people who have questions.

Plan Change 29 overview

The proposed changes are being made in response to population growth, demand for housing in the region, and to fulfil Council’s obligations under central government’s National Policy Statement for Urban Development (NPS-UD) 2020.

Under this national direction, Council must ensure Nelson grows into a well-functioning environment that can provide for sufficient housing capacity to meet growth pressures over the next 30-50 years. Proposed Plan Change 29 focuses on intensification, aiming to accommodate much of Whakatū Nelson’s future growth through redevelopment within existing urban areas rather than expanding into a diminishing supply of greenfield sites.

As well as changes to help address Nelson’s existing housing challenges, the plan change proposes updates related to heritage and natural hazards. The proposed changes aim to provide more housing opportunities and flexibility within Nelson’s existing urban areas, giving homeowners and developers more choice in how they build. The proposed plan change also provides opportunity for papakāinga development by Māori and for Māori.

Community involvement

Residents are encouraged to attend the meetings or drop-in sessions during September and October to hear what the proposed changes will mean for different locations in Nelson. The neighbourhood meetings are divided into suburb areas so people can choose the location(s) relevant to them.

Large, printed maps will be used to highlight the specific geographic areas that will be spoken about in the meetings.

These workshops will build on the engagement work that Council has done in recent years on the Nelson Plan, natural hazards, and the Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy, adding to the feedback already received from community, iwi and stakeholder engagement and consultation between 2014 and 2020 as part of a multi-year process to develop strategies for adapting to Nelson’s changing needs.

Community involvement is essential to the success of Plan Change 29. People are encouraged to come along and engage directly with Council representatives, planners, and experts to gain a better understanding of the proposed changes.

Nelson Mayor Nick Smith says these are big changes to Nelson’s planning rules, and these extra meetings and drop-in sessions are about enabling greater public involvement.

“These neighbourhood meetings are so people can better understand what Plan Change 29 means for their local community,” says Mayor Nick. “There will be both elected members and planning staff to explain what Plan Change 29 means and how they can shape it through submissions.”

Meeting and drop-in session details

“We encourage all residents, property owners, and community groups to ensure you are sufficiently informed about the proposed changes then make a submission by 31 October,” says Mandy Bishop, Group Manager Environmental Management.

“Your feedback is crucial in shaping the future of Nelson. Whether you have specific questions or simply want to learn more about Plan Change 29, the meetings provide an excellent opportunity to get information and be clear on how you can help us get the right rules in the right place.

“We look forward to continuing to engage with the Whakatū Nelson community and working together to shape a brighter future for our city.”

Can’t attend a meeting in person?
For those unable to attend the neighborhood meetings in person, there are additional ways to participate and share your feedback online. An online webinar will be held on 18 October that will be available afterwards to watch online for those that can’t make the session. There is also a live Q&A available at shape.nelson.govt.nz/plan-change-29.

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