Central Hawkes Bay District Plan Review

A District Plan managed how people use, subdivide and develop land, what and where they can build, and what kind of activities they can undertake.

Key matters that are managed by the District Plan include:

• Land zoning and subdivision – managing how land use change can occur and where urban growth is located.
• Reverse sensitivity issues for managing conflict between land uses (including things like noise, light, standards for sensitive activities.
• Provisions for buildings and structures (such as glasshouses, packhouses, worker accommodation and crop protection structures)
• Storage and management of hazardous substances.
• Protection of special features,  landscapes and sites of significance.

Once the Proposed Plan has been through the RMA decision-making process (including submissions and hearings) it will replace the current District Plan.

For the most part, it is the operative District plan rules which still apply and the new (proposed District Plan rules) will not apply until the plan making process is complete, However, a small number of rules do have effect now, these are those relating to:

• Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity;
• Historic Heritage;
• Notable Trees;
• Sites and Areas of Significance to Maori.