Taupō District Council is asking for public feedback on a series of proposed changes to the Taupō District Plan.

The District Plan is the community’s key document for managing the way people use their land, from rural areas and lifestyle blocks, to houses being built in our towns and villages. Its rules set out what you can do as of right (permitted activities) and what activities need to be looked at more carefully through a resource consent application. The council ran an informal consultation on the draft changes during May and June and now is calling for formal submissions.

The council is proposing to make six changes to the District Plan. All proposed changes aim to ensure the District Plan is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible prior to the outcomes of the Resource Management Act reform being put in place. Some changes are to bring the plan up to date, and others are the result of community feedback. All are designed to encourage appropriate and sustainable development in the Taupō District while protecting its unique environment.

One or more of the proposed changes are likely to affect everyone in the district. For example, if you live rurally, Plan Change 42 is likely to impact you. If you’re planning to build or renovate your home, Plan Change 39 changes the building coverage (the amount of space on your section that your house can take up) in most residential environments.

The proposed plan changes are:

Plan Change 38 – Strategic Directions

Plan Change 39 – Residential Building Coverage

Plan Change 40 – Taupō Town Centre Environment

Plan Change 41 – Deletion of out of date fault lines

Plan Change 42 – General Rural and Rural Lifestyle Environments

Plan Change 43 – Taupō Industrial Environments

Anyone can make a submission. Council’s policy staff can help with interpreting the plan changes. You can contact them on 07 376 0899 or 0800 ASK TDC or by emailing districtplan@taupo.govt.nz.

If you need help to formulate a submission or understand how the changes may impact on plans you have, you may need to talk to a planning consultant.

Under the Resource Management Act you must complete your submission on the required form. You can view all the plan changes and find the relevant submission forms at www.taupo.govt.nz/districtplanchanges. If you prefer to read a hard copy of the plan changes, you can visit a council service centre in Taupō, Tūrangi or Mangakino, or a Taupō District library. Submissions close at 4.30pm on Friday 9 December 2022.

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