District Plan

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District Plan Overview

What is a District Plan?

Councils are required to prepare a District Plan under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). The District Plan includes objectives, policies and rules that manage the adverse effects of activities on the environment with a focus on land use and subdivision activities.

The Proposed New Plymouth District Plan was publicly notified on 28 November 1998. Following decisions on submissions and resolution of a number of appeals, the New Plymouth District Plan became operative on 15 August 2005.

We are required to review the provisions in the District Plan no later than 10 years after they become operative and we will undertake a programme of rolling reviews of the District Plan over the next 10 years.

Plan Changes and Legal Effect

Prior to the RMA Amendment Act 2009 all proposed plan changes had legal effect from the date of public notification.

As from 1 October 2009 the legal effect of the rules of proposed Plan Changes are now subject to sections 86A to 86G of the RMA.

The status of legal effect of the rules of proposed Plan Changes is stated on the individual plan change pages, and the Plan Changes and Private Plan Changes page.

In addition to the existing rules within the District Plan, Resource consent (including subdivision) must be applied for activities that trigger rules with legal effect within proposed Plan Changes, in addition to the existing rules within the District Plan.

District Plan Updates

The District Plan is updated periodically throughout the year to reflect changes in the district planning environment. Since the District Plan became operative three rounds of updates have been finalised and printed. These updates fall under various categories as set out in the Plan Update Schedule.

Plan update schedule (Eight pages 133KB PDF)

The list of unprinted updates to the District Plan sets out the most recent updates which have been finalised but not yet printed and distributed to plan holders.

Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the District Plan available on our website have been edited to provide you with immediate access to the unprinted updates.

Reading the District Plan

Up to date copies of the District Plan can be downloaded here for free. Hard copies can also be purchased from us for $400 plus $10 postage.

An updating service is available for an annual fee of $82. District Plan holders who subscribe to this service will be sent updated parts of the plan when a full round of updates is finalised and printed.

If you wish to purchase a copy of the District Plan please fill out the form below and return it to the Council.

Request to purchase a copy of the District Plan (One page 116KB PDF)