District Plan Review Underway

Feedback is being sought from the community as the initial stages of the District Plan Review process get underway.

The first parts of the District Plan became operative in 2003 and under the Resource Management Act a full review of the plan needs to be undertaken ten years after it becomes operative.

Queenstown Lakes District Council’s general manager policy and planning Philip Pannett said over the next year and a half, feedback would be sought on the various parts of the plan in preparation for a formal submission process in October 2013.

“We want to find out what issues people have with the current District Plan,” he said.

“We’re asking the community to give some thought as to what their experiences of the current plan have been and how they see it affecting the areas in which they live.”

“Basically it’s a chance for people to tell us how they want their neighbourhoods to look and help us to shape and streamline the current District Plan so that can be achieved.”

A series of discussion documents and brochures was being prepared and were being released in stages so people’s opinions could be canvassed.

“These documents look at the issues relating to individual parts of the plan and potential options for dealing with them,” Mr Pannett said.

“People can send their feedback and suggestions on these issues to us via the usual channels or they can visit the QLDC website where we’ve set up a special page where people can post their comments about any District Plan Review related subject.”

Mr Pannett said at this stage the feedback process was relatively informal and while closing dates for comment had been given, people would be able to have their say on any issue at any time.

“We want to hear about whatever they think is important,” he said.

“The community can engage with the process as much or as little as they like. Some might be interested in the whole process, others might be interested in only one or two areas,” he said.

‘We’re encouraging people to join our email database so we can keep them up-to-date about areas that may be of specific interest to them.”

Discussion documents on the issues being looked at so far (rural areas and town centre noise) can be downloaded at www.qldc.govt.nz or picked up from QLDC offices and local libraries.

More issues will be opened for discussion every month.