Notice of Proposed Plan Change I –Increasing Housing Supply and Choice

Under Clause 5 of the First Schedule of the Resource Management Act 1991, the Palmerston North City Council gives notice of Proposed Plan Change I – Increasing Housing Supply and Choice.

Palmerston North City Council has prepared a change to the Operative District Plan for Palmerston North. The Council is proposing to create a new zone for medium density housing to allow more new homes to be built within the city.

Proposed Plan Change I: Increasing Housing Supply and Choice aims to cut red tape and make housing more accessible by enabling more new homes close to existing amenities and infrastructure.

Description and scope of the proposed plan change

The proposed changes are summarised as follows:

• The rezoning of 815ha of Residential Zone land to a Medium Density Residential Zone
• This represents approximately 32% of the existing Residential Zone land in the city
• The rezoning of 17 Summerhays Street and the Huia Street Reserve to Medium Density Residential Zone
• The inclusion of a Stormwater Overlay over 624ha (75%) of the proposed Medium Density Residential Zone

Changes to District Plan would include:

• A new Medium Density Residential Zone Chapter (10A)
• A new Subdivision Chapter (7B), for subdivision in the Medium Density Residential Zone
• A new Definitions Chapter (4A) for the Medium Density Residential Zone
• Consequential changes to various chapters of the District Plan to refer to the new Medium Density Residential Zone
• Changes to the District Plan maps to show the location of the new Medium Density Residential Zone and the Stormwater Overlay

Inspecting Proposed Plan Change I

For more information, and to view the proposed plan change go to www.pncc.govt.nz/growing.

Paper copies of the proposed plan change can be viewed, and the submission form collected from our Customer Service Centre, or any of our libraries. Please call us on 06 356 8199 to have a copy sent to you.

Making Submissions to Proposed Plan Change I

Any person may make a submission on Proposed Plan Change I.

Submissions must be in writing on the form prescribed, including submissions made via email. Email submissions do not require a signature.

The closing date for submissions is 4pm, 4 February 2025.

The submission must be in Form 5 and must state whether or not you wish to be heard on your submission. Copies of this form are available from the Palmerston North City Council and are available below. Submission forms must be lodged with the Council by one of the following options:

After the close date for submissions, the Council will prepare a summary of decisions requested by submitters. The Council will publicly notify that this summary is available and where it and the submissions can be inspected. There will be an opportunity to make further submissions in support of or opposition to the submissions that have already been made.

If you’d like to speak in person at the hearing on this matter, please indicate this on your submission form. We’ll write to all submitters once the hearing date is confirmed. A Hearings Panel will consider all submissions and further submissions and decide any changes to the proposed plan change.

Any person who has made a submission has the right to appeal against the decision on the proposed plan change to the Environment Court if they disagree with that decision.

Please Note: If you are a property owner with tenants or occupiers other than yourself, please ensure they are made aware of the public notification of the Proposed Plan Change.