DP Review Process

This page contains links to appeals, decisions, Council staff reports and other general background information relating to the development of the Proposed District Plan.

Where we are at

All appeals lodged with the Environment Court relating to the decisions on the Proposed District Plan have now been resolved.

At this stage, all provisions in the Proposed District Plan are treated as being operative, so the provisions of the Operative District Plan no longer have effect.

Prior to the Proposed District Plan being formally approved and adopted as the Operative District Plan, there is some administrative work to be completed. This work is currently underway and once completed a report will be taken to Council for them to formally approve the document. From that point, Council will publicly notify the date that the District Plan is to be formally deemed operative.

Government is in the process of formalising National Planning Standards that will regulate the format of all District Plans. The Planning Standards are to be released in April 2019.  Council staff are working to reformat the district plan document to bring it closer to the Planning Standard template.

The most up to date version of the Proposed District Plan – Appeals Version (January 2017) is available here. The Planning Maps can also be viewed here.

Appeals

Sixteen appeals were lodged to the Environment Court in response to the decisions on the submissions to the Proposed District Plan. A number of parties also issued requests to be parties to the appeals.

The appeals covered a range of issues, including but not limited to the zoning of land as Residential 3 (Large Lot) Zone, and the development of the Seaport 2 Zone. The activity status for Community Corrections Facilities and Temporary Military Traning Activities were also the subject of appeals and there were appeals relating to a number of environmental issues such as biodiversity, the coastal environment and infrastructure.

The notices of appeal and consent orders (Court approved agreements) reached can be viewed here.

Decisions

Copies of the decision reports on the Proposed Invercargill City District Plan  are available here or may be inspected by the public at the following locations:

During office hours at:

  • Civic Administration Building, Ground Floor, 101 Esk Street, Invercargill
  • Bluff Service Centre, Gore Street, Bluff
  • Invercargill City Public Library, Dee Street, Invercargill

The Decisions are set out on the same basis on which the hearings were arranged, meaning that each separate Hearing Report has a corresponding Decision Report.  Decisions on the Variations are merged into the relevant decisions.

Background information

As in every other district in New Zealand, Invercargill has a District Plan. This Plan is prepared under the Resource Management Act 1991 to manage land use, subdivision and development within the District. It identifies where activities can take place, what land can be developed and what natural and cultural features should be protected.  It is a Council document that not only helps Council fulfil its legal obligations and ultimately aims to promote the sustainable use of the District’s resources, but it can also be used to implement the community’s vision for the City into the future.

Council is required to review the District Plan at least once every 10 years. In 2010, the Council decided to commence the review of the Operative District Plan’s provisions.

After a process involving public consultation, the Proposed District Plan was publicly notified in 2013 and opened up for the submission process.  The Council’s District Plan Hearing Committee, made up of three Councillors and an independent commissioner, had the role of considering and deciding on more than 2300 submission points.  The issues raised in submissions were separated into relevant topics and were heard topic-by-topic. Fourteen Hearings were held between May 2014 and March 2016 to hear and consider the issues raised by submitters.

On 29 October 2016 Council released decisions on submissions and further submissions to the Proposed Invercargill City District Plan. These decisions also incorporate, where relevant, the decisions on the following Variations:

  • Variation 1 – Natural Hazards
  • Variation 2 – Noise
  • Variation 3 – Professional and Personal Services
  • Variation 4 – Definition of Height
  • Variation 5 – Industrial Activities
  • Variation 6 – Energy
  • Variation 7 – Industrial 3 and Industrial 4 Zones
  • Variation 8 – Residential 3 Zone

As stated above, the submitters had an opportunity to appeal these decisions.

NOTE: A range of background information and documents related to the District Plan Review process is available on request by contacting the Planning department on (03) 211 1777 or email planning@icc.govt.nz. The information available includes:

  • Background Papers (the initial discussion documents that were developed to help inform the discussion during meetings of the District Plan Group)
  • Public consultation documents
  • Public Notices
  • Proposed Invercargill City District Plan – as notified in 2013
  • Section 32 Report
  • Summary of submissions
  • Information on each of Variations 1 – 8

For copies of Staff Recommendation Reports click here.

For copies of Council Decisions click here.

For copies of the Proposed District Plan – Decisions Version (October 2016) click here.