The Resource Management Act requires all councils to prepare a District Plan to promote to promote sustainable management of the district’s natural and physical resources. All land use activities have an effect on the environment. The aim of the Plan is to minimise these effects by locating activities in suitable areas such as industrial activities in the Industrial Zone, rather than the Residential Zone.

We live in a changing environment with changing issues and levels of knowledge. A review of the District Plan allows communities to reassess environmental outcomes and priorities and to redefine their vision for the future of the district.

The District Plan affects everyone who lives, works, and owns or leases land in the Wanganui district. The Plan does this by providing a set of rules and guidelines about what can and cannot be done in different parts of the district.

Council has opted to carry out its District Plan Review in phases, rather than all at once. This means that various provisions of the Plan will be reviewed between now and 2014, and that this will generally be done based on zones or topics. Phase 1, which considered our Central City and riverfront areas, is now close to completion, with Hearings soon to be held to determine decisions. Council is currently considering the Residential (Phase 2) and Built Heritage (Phase 3) provisions. Any future topics will depend on Council’s priorities at the time; however, a basic priority list has been determined and is shown below. It is important to note that subject to resource availability, there may be more than one phase being worked on at any one time. All information available on the Shaping Wanganui project can be found on this website.

Each phase of the Shaping Wanganui project will follow a similar process before any changes to the District Plan can become operative (see flow diagram below).

Hearings for Phase 1 (Central City and Riverfront) were held on 21 and 22 November 2011, with decisions expected to be released in March 2012.

Phase Two is looking at our residential areas. In September and October 2011, we asked you what you liked, disliked and wished to change about the places you live in. We have taken all of this information and prepared a draft document that sets out the key issues and objectives. This document was released by Council in January 2012. Targeted consultation with those most affected by any changes have been ongoing over the past few months. We will continue to refine the issues and objectives, as well as drafting Policies and Rules that will form the new District Plan.

Phase 3 - Detailed reports have been researched and prepared for over 200 buildings, both those presently listed and those being considered for listing. A draft scheme to group buildings into four levels of importance and protection has been recommended. Consultation has included a meeting with building owners, attendance at the River Traders Market and discussions with interest groups. Two workshops have been held with Councillors. More detailed discussions with owners and the public will occur over the next few months.

We are now in Phase 2 of the District Plan Review focusing on residential neighbourhoods. The District Plan controls things as diverse as where on your property you can build your garage, to where home businesses can be set up, and what form our neighbourhood shops will take. This phase of the District Plan Review will consider:

• Residential Zone
• Neighbourhood Commercial Zone
• Restricted Services Residential Zone (some areas rezoned Residential)
• Reserves and Open Spaces Zone
• Natural Hazards
• Subdivision and development (including NZS4404 review)
• Designations
• Built Heritage

The District Plan Review team has gone through the first round of consultations. From the feedback received draft issues, objectives and options for Phase 2 (Residential) have been developed and approved by Council. We are now starting targeted consultation with those most affected by any changes. Click to find out more about what we’ll be doing in Phase 2 – Residential.

Phase 3, which looks at Built Heritage, has also been started to capitalise on the work already under way. This is being completed alongside Phase 2. Phase 3 will include a review of Built Heritage currently included in the District Plan as well as considering buildings that are not yet listed. We will write to all affected building owners by the end of January.

Throughout the process, we’ll be hosting Open Days where you can come and chat to us. Keep an eye out on this site and in your newspapers for the next round of Open Day events. You could also send us an email, or tell us what you think with our online survey. We’ll also be making ourselves available to attend your organisation’s meetings in the next few months. Just get in touch with Robyn Butler via the email link, and she’ll arrange the details.

You can stay in touch with updates on Shaping Wanganui at this website.

The opportunity for any new public feedback on Phase One – City Centre and Riverfront has now passed, with Hearings on submissions and further submissions already held. Plan Change 21 is the culmination of all the feedback given by those participating in the Phase 1 process, and provides a vision for the development of these areas (objectives and policies) as well as rules for achieving this vision. The Hearings Committee has considered those matters raised by submitters and has made decisions on Plan Changes 20 and 21. The decisions are soon to be released ready for the appeal period.

However, you now have the opportunity to comment on Phase 2 – Residential. During the past few months we have collated and reviewed all feedback received. From this we have drafted an Issues and Objectives paper. We are now starting targeted consultation with those most affected by any changes.

We will then produce a series of Proposed Plan Changes for our residential areas. Through each stage of the process, you will have an opportunity to provide feedback so make sure you check out our website on a regular basis.

Wanganui District Council has chosen to embark on a sectional review, so in the next few years there will be some new parts of the District Plan, and some old parts. It is hoped that the entire District Plan will be reviewed by 2014.