Hutt City Councillors have today voted to accept all recommendations of an independent hearing panel for government-mandated changes to allow higher and denser housing, particularly around transport hubs.

Following a public hearing in April, the panel delivered its recommended decisions to Hutt City Council for Plan Change 56: Enabling Intensification in Residential and Commercial Areas.

Council may limit the Government’s Medium Density Residential Standards and the National Policy Statement on Urban Development only in specific circumstances such as identified areas with natural hazards, heritage areas or sites of significance to Māori.

While the significant parts of the plan change are mandated by the legislation, there are some factors that the public can influence and it was submissions on these that the panel considered.

Mayor Campbell Barry thanked the members of the community who gave their time to be involved in this process by making a submission and attending the hearing.

"This was a thorough process and members of our community did an excellent job with their submissions to the independent panel.

"While council does not agree entirely with the approach of central government in how to enable intensification, we have fulfilled our obligations.

"We accepted all the recommendations of the independent panel and will now continue our work with a full District Plan review."

Councillors agreed with the Independent Panel’s recommendation to not proceed with six new residential heritage areas which were proposed by a Council-appointed independent heritage expert. The Panel accepted Council’s overall approach to heritage protection but raised concerns with how the proposed heritage areas were assessed for heritage values.

Head of Planning Tim Johnstone said, "The plan change has been tested through a robust process with a range of submissions for and against the proposed changes."

Tim Johnstone said Hutt City Council had embraced the intent of the National Policy Statement to enable more housing and business development, as the Lower Hutt population is expected to grow by another 40,000 people by 2050.

Key changes recommended for Plan Change 56

• Reductions in the size of the High Density and Medium Density Residential Activity Areas in parts of Harbour View, Korokoro, Manor Park, Normandale, and Tirohanga
• Increases in the size of the High Density Residential Activity Area in parts of Moera and Naenae
• In Eastbourne, Stokes Valley, and Wainuiomata change from High Density Residential to Medium Density Residential but simultaneously apply a higher height limit of 18m (approx. five storeys) and over a wider area
• Increase the height limit from 22m to 36m (approximately ten storeys) immediately adjacent to the city centre
• Not proceeding with the proposed new residential heritage areas of Hardham Crescent, Hutt Road Railway, Moera Railway, Petone Foreshore, Petone State Flats, and Wainuiomata Terracrete Homes
• A slight expansion of the Jackson Street Heritage Area to include 352, 358, and 362-364 Jackson Street
• A lower height limit on regional council-owned land near Korokoro urupā, from 22m to 12m (six storeys to three)
• A selectively more generous recession plane--- in the High Density Residential Activity Area for developments that provide a significant number of new homes, to encourage buildings to be located closer to the street
• A simplified resource consent pathway to encourage more small-scale commercial activities in High Density Residential areas at the ground floor of apartment buildings

Plan Change 56, including the panel’s recommendations, will become operative on 21 September.

The Government requires this change to the District Plan to run on a streamlined process under the Resource Management Act, and there is no process for appeal by Council or any other group or individual.

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