District Plan changes
By Chrys Ayley
Hutt City Councillor and chairman of District Plan Committee Roger Styles is encouraging people to involve themselves in district planning processes at the development stage. The District Plan guides the development of the whole of Hutt City including rural, residential and commercial land. The plan is reviewed every 10 years but HCC reviews it ?in chunks? with the current focus on the residential and central area aspects of the plan. Residents currently have two opportunities to make submissions which, in effect, mean they can make submissions on submissions, but the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill has some changes on the way for District Plans, he said. It could mean that submissions are reduced to one round and it could become law by September or October. Mr Styles says it is important people involve themselves in the review process at an early stage rather than object at the hearing stage when ?in reality it?s more important to have a say in the development of the rules,? he said. Public submissions on Proposed Plan Change 12 have just closed, and a summary of submissions will be made public soon, he said. The proposed change addresses providing for future growth, encouraging appropriate higher density housing, and ensuring efficient implementation of the District Plan provisions.??? The change proposes that existing Higher Density Residential areas be extended to include residential areas around shopping centres and transport routes.? The aim to encourage more viable and sustainable shopping centres and better use of transport by allowing for smaller sites and greater building coverage, he said. Council identified 30-40 sections around Maungaraki and Alicetown that fit the criteria but has not looked at Petone because it is being considered in the separate Petone Vision exercise. High density residential area regulations already apply to Petone in parts of the Esplanade and other areas in the Hutt. Plans for changes to Petone - the Petone Vision- which has already had much input from the Community Board and public is expected to be notified towards the middle of the year.
