The first set of Wellington City Council’s Proposed District Plan (PDP) hearings have been completed. They focused on the provisions related to intensification that fall under the Intensification Streamlined Planning Process (ISPP) created by the National Policy Statement on Urban Development.

Council officers will present the Independent Hearing Panel’s recommendations to Council at five briefings starting next week (7 February).

The hearings, which ran between February and September 2023, gave 144 submitters the opportunity to provide verbal submissions and supporting evidence relating to their written submissions. Experts also presented evidence including planning, urban design, transport, heritage, economics, natural hazards, noise and wind.

Councillor briefing timings and topics

7 February 2.30 – 4.30pm
Process recap and legal matters, walkable catchments for high density housing, and mass rapid transport

13 February 2.30 – 4.30pm
Residential, Character and Centres

14 February 2.30 – 4.30pm
City Centre and Waterfront

20 February 2.30 – 4.30pm
Historic heritage, Notable trees, Viewshafts, and Sites and Areas of Significance

27 February 2.30 – 4.30pm
Natural Hazards, Three Waters, Noise, Subdivision and Earthworks

28 February 2.30 – 4.30pm

Q&As

12 March 2.30 – 4.30pm
Q&As

The first reports and information for the briefing on 7 February are available here. The rest of the reports will be made available to the public and elected representatives when the agendas are published a week prior to the meetings. The briefing sessions will be available on YouTube and will be recorded.

Following the briefings the Council will meet on 14 March to make decisions on the Hearing Panel’s recommendations. Any recommendations that the Council rejects or amends will need to go to the Minister for the Environment for a final decision.

More detailed information is available on the Proposed District Plan website.

The remainder of the hearings on the rest of the Proposed District Plan will begin in February.

© Scoop Media