Decisions on submissions to the Proposed Invercargill City District Plan will be publicly notified and on the Council’s website (www.icc.govt.nz) from tomorrow (Saturday, 29 October 2016). These decisions amend a number of the provisions in the document, including Council’s policies and rules.

Once publicly notified, submitters have until 9 December 2016 to appeal the decisions to the Environment Court.  In the interim, the Proposed District Plan – Decisions Version has legal effect, alongside the current Operative District Plan.

Invercargill’s Deputy Mayor, Cr Darren Ludlow, said the District Plan outlines the rules for land use, subdivision and development with the District, including what activities can take place, what land can be developed and the natural and cultural features that should be protected.

“The Council is required to review the District Plan at least once every 10 years and it is a lengthy and complex process.  The current review began in 2011 and since then members of the public have made 2,300 submission and further submission points – which have involved significant consultation over a five-year period.”

Cr Ludlow said that while the District Plan was a vitally important document for the city, it was designers and developers who would be most interested in it. While the Plan affects all of us, most people aren’t aware of it until it affects what they can do with their land, or perhaps what can happen on the property next door.”

• For full information about the decisions on submissions to the Proposed Invercargill City District Plan and eight proposed Variations, visit the Public Documents section of the Council’s website from Saturday, 29 October 2016 – or contact the Council’s Planning Department on (03) 211 1777).