The Christchurch District Plan helps look after our way of life now and for the future.
The plan, which we are required by law to produce, manages development so the right things are in the right place; homes, business and industry.
It guides what activities are able to happen in which locations and makes it clear where activities are anticipated. It lists activities that are allowed and others that need a resource consent, as well as rules or standards that apply.
All Councils must review their district plans in full every 10 years, and give people the opportunity to make submissions on the proposals through hearings, before the plan is finalised. Here in Christchurch, we last reviewed our district plan in 2014 through an amended and faster process to help the city’s recovery from the earthquakes. The plan became operative 19 December 2017.
In addition to full reviews, we are always happy to receive suggestions for improvements which can be actioned as plan changes. This is to make sure the plan is working and achieves the right outcomes for people and the environment.
The District Plan does not cover building consent issues such as the structural safety of buildings.
You can use the District Plan to see if certain activities are allowed in certain areas. To determine if an activity is provided for by the Plan, or is provided for in a certain area:
Use the Property search and planning maps(external link) to find the property and determine its zoning.
Check for any special feature, designation or general rules that apply. Refer to the abbreviations and definitions in Chapter 2(external link) for help in interpreting rules.
Use the planning maps to confirm whether the property has any special feature or designation on it.
Notations are spatial layers used to achieve particular outcomes on a smaller scale. For example, building height restrictions or urban design in a particular area.
Overlays are spatial layers that usually extend more than one zone and manage a district wide issue or activity. Examples include natural hazards, outstanding natural landscapes and heritage overlays.
A designation is an area of land identified in a district plan that is intended to be used for a particular work or project (such as a road or school) by a requiring authority.
In addition to full reviews of the District Plan every 10 years, we are always happy to receive suggestions for improvements, which can be actioned as plan changes. This is to make sure the plan is working and achieves the right outcomes for people and the environment.
A plan change may include amendments and additions to existing objectives, policies, rules, methods, and/or planning Maps within the District Plan.
A proposed plan change process can be initiated by the Council or anyone else. The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) outlines what should be included in a plan change, how consultation will occur and time frames for the plan change process.
A plan change can take up to two years from being notified, although this can vary depending on the issues involved.
The process for a Council-led plan change is described in the table below. You can see the steps for anyone else preparing a plan change in the private plan change guide [PDF, 742 KB].
Stage | Engagement |
Evidence gathering
|
Engagement with relevant stakeholders on the scope, issues and options |
Drafting of plan change
|
Engagement on draft plan change. A draft s32 report may be included but is not required during pre-notification consultation |
Pre-notification consultation
|
Amend draft plan change, as appropriate, based on comments received during pre-notification consultation |
Notification of plan change and submissions
|
Submissions invited |
Summary of submissions and further submissions
|
Further submissions invited |
Reporting
|
|
Hearing
|
Submitters can prepare documents/ evidence and present at a hearing |
Decision
|
|
Appeals period
|
Submitters have the right to appeal |
Operative
|
A plan change can be made using a few different processes. Below are links for the various plan change processes available under the Resource Management Act:
Anyone can make a submission if a plan change is publicly notified. If a plan change is limited notified, only those invited to can make a submission.
All publicly notified plan changes are open for consultation through Have Your Say. You can complete a submission form online, or hard copy forms are available from our Customer Service Hubs and libraries.
Forms not completed online should be addressed to: Christchurch City Council, City Planning Team, PO Box 73012, Christchurch or emailed to: PlanChange@ccc.govt.nz.
Your submissions must reach us by the closing date of the submission period.
Please be aware that your submission will be available to the public and anyone can make a submission supporting or opposing it.
Further submissions in support of, or opposition to, the earlier submissions received and summarised can be made.
A further submission can only support or oppose a submission. It cannot extend the scope of an original submission.
The following people are able to make further submissions where it is publicly notified:
If you want to make a further submission, you can again complete a submission form online [PDF, 54 KB], with hard copy forms also available from our Customer Service Hubs and libraries.
Forms not completed online should be addressed to: Christchurch City Council, City Planning Team, PO Box 73012, Christchurch or emailed to: PlanChange@ccc.govt.nz. We must receive the submission before the closing date for further submissions.
If you are making a further submission in support or opposition, you are also required to serve a copy of this to the person whose original submission is supported or opposed. You will find the original submitters contact details in the summary of submissions which will be on the plan change website. This must be no later than five working days after the day on which the further submission is provided to the Council.