Heritage guidelines to go out to consultation with plan change

Proposed new heritage guidelines for Central Otago look set to provide more clarity for people wanting to develop in the district’s five heritage precincts.

The Central Otago District Council has today (Wednesday 9 November) approved public notification of Plan Change 20 and consultation of the draft Heritage Guidelines.

Plan Change 20 relates to minor changes in Section 11 (Heritage Precincts) of the District Plan, to better align the matters of discretion and information requirements for resource consents required for building in a heritage precinct. The change is based on the information contained in the draft Heritage Guidelines developed for Council by Dr Glen Hazelton following an extensive review of the history and character of each of the five precincts – Ophir, Naseby, St Bathans, Clyde and Old Cromwell Town.

Central Otago District Council Principal Policy Planner Ann Rodgers said that the focus of the guidelines was on “what property owners can do rather than what they can’t”.

“We are trying to create an enabling situation in terms of development that occurs within these precincts. We’ve made sure there’s diagrams and the language is plain so that people can understand what is required of them.”

Ms Rodgers said that currently council planners required heritage impact assessments to be undertaken for developments in the precinct.

“Rather than us assessing after the design has happened, these new guidelines will give people an advanced indication of what might be acceptable or what they should be thinking about when they are designing buildings in the precincts.”

The guidelines will also assist in protecting the unique character of each precinct and encourage new development that is sympathetic and enhances these characteristics.

The plan change will be notified in the coming weeks.

The details regarding the plan change and the notification process will be available on Council’s ‘Let’s Talk’ consultation platform in due course.