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Topic summaries

Rural Subdivision

Urban Growth and Housing

Heritage Sites for Protection

Natural Hazards

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Strategic Direction

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Appeals

The period for making appeals on the Decisions Version of the Proposed District Plan closed on 21 November 2025. There is a 15 working day period within which other parties can join appeal proceedings. This period closes on 15 December. More information is available on the Appeals Page.

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‍Topic summaries

Rural Subdivision

With the anticipated population growth, it is important to protect land for primary production.

Two zones are proposed to ensure that primary production activities remain prioritised, while allowing for rural living on smaller lots in appropriate locations.
Land used for primary production is protected as a priority.
Minimum lot sizes have been increased where primary production occurs to reflect subdivision that would be anticipated.
Lot sizes for rural living have been decreased to reflect the low-density residential living that is demanded of lifestyle blocks.
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Urban Growth and Housing

The Proposed District Plan provides for a wider range of housing and business activities by:

Providing for urban growth areas.
Enabling higher residential densities in central urban areas.
Revising development standards to achieve a balance between growth and residential amenity.
Requiring non-potable rainwater collection tanks (5000L min) for any new dwelling in the residential zones.
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Heritage Sites For Protection

Key differences between the Operative Plan and the Proposed District Plan include:

Demolition of any heritage building or item is a discretionary activity (requires resource consent).
Different rules apply to scheduled buildings and items versus scheduled precincts to make the rules easier to follow.
Some items are proposed to be removed from the existing heritage schedule.
Some items are proposed to be added to the heritage schedule.
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Natural Hazards

Changes to the data and modelling available for various types of natural hazards has been assessed, and new provisions have been proposed where appropriate.

New and updated fault lines/traces along with previously mapped faults have been identified.
Rules have been developed to apply to newly identified potentially liquefaction-prone land.
Flood hazard mapping.
New rules are proposed for areas subject to flooding which restrict the use of land within these areas.
Continue to apply restrictions on the use and subdivision of land within 50m of the coastline.
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Tangata Whenua

The Proposed District Plan aims to enable land use and development of Māori land to support the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of Māori. The Proposed District Plan recognises Te Ao Māori by:

Enabling tangata whenua to exercise kaitiakitanga to carry out customary activities
Providing for papakāinga and marae
Protecting important cultural and historic heritage sites identified by tangata whenua

Climate Change and Resilience

The Proposed District Plan will enable Wairarapa to adapt to better protect itself against climate change effects. Changes include:

Updated flood hazard mapping
New rules protecting the foreshore and coastline from sea level rise
Requiring non-potable rainwater collection tanks for any new dwelling in the residential zones
Allowing for more renewable electricity generation

Energy

The Proposed District Plan provides more clarity for the management of energy as well as technology- specific provisions for renewable energy generation including wind and solar generation. It allows for development of small and community scale generation where effects can be appropriately managed.

Town Centres / Neighbourhood Shops / Commercial Areas

The Existing Commercial Zone will be replaced by Neighbourhood Centre, Mixed Use and Town Centre Zones.
The new Town Centre Zones will function as the commercial and community hubs for their surrounding residential and rural communities.
The new Neighbourhood Centre Zone provides for small-scale convenience-based business and retail activities that serve day to day needs of the local neighbourhood.
The Mixed Use Zone provides for a mixture of commercial, light industrial, residential, recreational and community activities.

Industrial Areas

The General Industrial Zone provides for a range of industrial activities. Industrial activities contained within this zone are an important resource for Wairarapa’s social and economic wellbeing.

Open Spaces / Reserves

The Proposed District Plan introduces three new Open Space and Recreation Zones to distinguish between parks and reserves and the range of recreational activities they offer.

The Natural Open Space Zone applies to areas with environmental values and low level development e.g. forest parks.
The Open Space Zone applies to areas used for recreational activities including parks, playgrounds, community facilities.
The Sport and Active Recreation Zone provides for a range of sport and recreation activities e.g. sportsgrounds.

Papakāinga and Māori Purpose Zone

Papakāinga refers to development of community-oriented housing where Māori can actively maintain and enhance their culture and traditions, supporting their economic, social, and cultural wellbeing. A new Māori Purpose Zone will enable iwi and hapū to live on, use, and develop ancestral land. Papakāinga will be enabled across residential and rural zones.

Quarries

Aggregate remains in high demand nationally. Due to its low value and high bulk transport costs, the preference is to source locally where possible. The Proposed District Plan continues to allow for farm quarries as permitted activities in rural areas. All other quarrying activities will require resource consent ensuring appropriate measures are in place to manage any noise, traffic, dusts and visual impacts.

Natural Environment (Indigenous Biodiversity; Natural Features and Landscapes; Natural Character; and Public Access)

The Proposed District Plan seeks to recognise and protect Natural Environment Values of significance in Wairarapa, provided through the Indigenous Biodiversity; Natural Features and Landscapes; Natural Character; and Public Access Chapters. The Proposed District Plan uses overlays to provide protection in certain areas where particular values restrict some activities. The overlays are:

Significant Natural Areas: areas of very low-level of development to protect significant indigenous biodiversity values.
Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes: areas of low-level development to protect the natural landscapes and natural features of significance to Wairarapa.
Significant Waterbodies: developments within the margins of significant waterbodies are carefully managed to ensure significant values of the identified waterbodies are not degraded.

Coastal Areas

A new specific Coastal Environment Chapter contains rules to protect the special values and characteristics of Wairarapa’s coastal areas and coastline. The following overlays manage these particular values and characteristics:

Coastal Environment: the full extent of land containing coastal values and characteristics.
Very High and High Natural Character: areas requiring low-level development to enable the protection of natural character.
Outstanding Natural Character: areas requiring low-level development to protect the natural character.
Foreshore Protection Area: areas vulnerable to coastal erosion and development to be avoided.

Hazardous Substances and Contaminated Land

The Hazardous Substances Chapter contains provisions to manage storage and use of hazardous substances.

The Contaminated Land Chapter contains objectives and policies to guide decisions involving contaminated soil. Rules are covered by the National Environmental Standards.

Network Utilities / Infrastructure

The Proposed District Plan includes:

Policies and rules to require undergrounding of new network utilities in all areas where practical and reasonable.
Policies and rules to encourage undergrounding of existing network utilities in urban areas.
New provisions seeking the protection of the National Grid from development.
Giving effect to national direction instruments, clarifying the relationship between the District Plan and other infrastructure regulations.

Transport

Wairarapa’s transport infrastructure is made up of roads, state highways, pedestrian and cycle networks, the rail network, and Hood Aerodrome. The Proposed District Plan includes a Transport Chapter containing rules to manage effects of transport on the environment of land use and development on the transport network. The Proposed District Plan supports a multi-modal transport system including pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, freight vehicles and private passenger vehicles. Updated standards align with best practice and Council’s Engineering Development Standards.

Noise

The Proposed District Plan Noise Chapter includes:

Noise limits for construction activities
Rules to manage noise effects on dwellings while protecting the operation of State Highways, Hood Aerodrome and satellite commercial helicopter bases.
Noise insulation requirements for residential living in commercial and industrial areas.
Noise limits for temporary events.

Light

The Proposed District Plan Light Chapter includes:

Application of the Dark Sky Plan Change rules to Masterton (existing rules apply to Carterton and South Wairarapa).
Requirements for artificial lighting to be of a warm colour including light shield. Changes allow for lights to be installed in public places, reducing unnecessary light pollution.

Signs

Signs are important for promoting businesses, community facilities, other activities and for wayfinding and safety. Location and design of signs need to be managed. The Proposed District looks to strengthen some rules around certain signage.

Temporary Activities and Events

Temporary activities are of a non-repetitive, transient nature. The Proposed District Plan Temporary Activities Chapter includes some amendments to make the rules clearer and provide greater direction on timeframes.

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Strategic Direction

The Proposed District Plan’s strategic objectives relate to:

Climate Change and Resilience

Mitigating and adapting to climate change
Increasing resilience of Wairarapa to natural hazards
Enhancing water resilience of Wairarapa

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‍Historic and Cultural Heritage

Recognising and protecting significant historic heritage and sites and areas of significance to Māori

Natural Environment

Restoring the mauri of Wairarapa Moana
Enhancing access to our open spaces
Protecting Wairarapa’s coastal environment
Healthy ecosystems

Rural Environment

Maintaining the productive use of rural land and protecting highly productive land

Providing some opportunities for rural lifestyle living

Tangata Whenua

Recognising and protecting the values, rights and interest of tangata whenua
Including tangata whenua in the resource management process
Developing, using and protecting Māori land for customary activities and supporting social and economic aspirations
Ensuring tangata whenua can exercise kaitiakitanga

Urban Form and Development

‍‍Ensuring Wairarapa’s urban areas grow in a planned, efficient and structured way
Allowing enough urban land for housing, business and recreational needs
Ensuring urban growth and infrastructure occurs in an integrated way
Ensuring Wairarapa has vibrant town centres

Infrastructure

‍‍Recognising the benefits of infrastructure, managing its adverse effects, and protecting it from incompatible activities
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ePlan

The Proposed District Plan can be viewed on this website here. It consists of two main parts:

The text, which includes the objectives, policies and rules;
The maps, which identify which zones apply to each property, as well as any overlays or special features.

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How do I find out which zones, overlays and rules apply to me?

Visit the web-viewer link here
Type in a property address to find out what zone and overlays apply to it. Then look at the text part to see the rules for the zone and overlays.
You can download and print the Proposed District Plan directly from the website.

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Hard copies (text-only version) can be viewed at your local Council Office and Library.

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How Should We Grow? We Want To Know!

Appeals

‍Topic summaries

Strategic Direction

ePlan

District Plan Review Process

Resource Management Act Reform

The District Plan

Explore our work

How Should We Grow? We Want To Know!

Appeals

‍Topic summaries

Strategic Direction

ePlan

District Plan Review Process

Resource Management Act Reform

The District Plan

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