District Plan review moves to Stage 2:

A review of the Council’s District Plan will continue to the next stage, which will include a review of the rural chapter.

At the meeting today (Wednesday 29 January 2025), the Central Otago District Council approved Stage 2 of the District Plan review programme that prioritises plan changes in response to growth.

Stage 1 (2021-2024) has largely been completed. Key tasks included:

• moving the District Plan into a GIS based e-Plan format;
• reviewing the residential chapter and zoning, including the development of Medium Density Guidelines, encapsulated in Plan Change 19, which is now partially operative and subject to Environment Court appeals;
• re-zoning of industrial land in Cromwell through Plan Change 18 (now operative);
• introduction of Heritage Guidelines for Heritage precincts through Plan Change 20 and the development of a new Light (Dark Sky) chapter along with the first Dary Sky precinct in Naseby, captured by Plan Change 22 (both PC 20 and PC 22 now fully operative).

Stage 1 also saw the completion of the Vincent Spatial Plan (adopted January 2022) and the Teviot Valley Spatial Plan (adopted in November 2024).

Stage 2 priorities for 2025-26 include a rural review, involving significant community, industry, and key stakeholder engagement to understand issues, along with the commissioning of technical reports. This is also an important piece of work given the significance of production to the Central Otago economy.

At the meeting, CODC Principal Policy Manager Ann Rodgers said the planning team intended to "cast the net wide" to talk to as many people and interest groups as possible for their views.

The review will include consideration of allotment size, worker accommodation, reverse sensitivity, landscape classification, indigenous biodiversity and ensuring productive capacity is protected. The Council will also look at provisions for rural residential and settlement zones, and opportunities to extend the protection of the night skies enabled by Plan Change 22 in consultation with rural communities.

Another significant task is the Mana whenua chapter in the plan. It is anticipated that this chapter will be reviewed in tandem with the Rural provisions and will include mapping of sites of significance to Māori. This work will be undertaken with Aukaha and Te Ao Marama.

Stage 2 will also see a review of provisions in the Industrial and Business zones and pick up implementation of new commercial zoning identified in the Cromwell and Vincent spatial plans.

A review of heritage provisions and inclusion of heritage guidelines in Heritage Precincts begun during Plan Change 20 will continue.

New zoning identified in the Teviot Valley Spatial Plan implemented for the residential zoning (subject to reticulated water and wastewater capacity being confirmed).

There are a few remaining chapters that require review and some that will be removed in favour of provisions being incorporated into other chapters to comply with the National Planning Standards plan format (such as a dedicated subdivision chapter).

The Council is awaiting the second and third phases of the reform of the Resource Management Act system and will be guided by the outcome of the reforms in terms of what Councils are required to deliver and when.

Central Otago Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie acknowledged the significant efforts of Ms Rodgers and staff in the District Plan reviews that had been completed to date "and have resulted in provisions in the District Plan that will provide the framework for managing the effects of development on our spaces and places."