Know where we are growing

We plan to grow in areas where it will benefit the whole community the most. Our focus for growth is:
Our existing zoned areas that are not yet developed. 

• Rural areas on the fringe of the city and our towns that we want to rezone to residential. Larger areas will be structure planned, such as our two new areas in Carrington and Junction roads.
  
• Changing the rules on what houses you can build in the city and towns to allow for smaller and different types of houses.
• Changing the zoning within the city and towns, e.g. in New Plymouth and Waitara we have too much land zoned for business use. We want to zone it for housing.  
• Earmarking rural land for future urban growth in the long-term (10-30 years) around Smart Road and up Frankley/Cowling roads and in Oakura.

We are a growing community and require around 370 homes per year to house our people. National policy has now recognised New Plymouth as a high growth community.

Good-quality affordable housing is essential for the well-being of our families and communities and for a successful district. 

• We will plan our new growth areas so that we can build strong and connected communities for our people.
• We want to allow for good-quality smaller houses so people can live closer to our services and attractions. 
• The new rules will:
  - Aim to better manage subdivision layouts.
  - Ensure well-designed housing, e.g. managing garages in front yards and ensuring private outdoor living space.

Zoning determines what a property can be used for. It also determines what planning building controls apply.

Activities that are allowed without resource consent are:

• Building a residential house, sleep-out, shed or garage that meet the building controls, i.e. height, setbacks from boundary. 
• Small-scale businesses from home.

Activities that may require resource consent are: 

• Multi-unit developments that are well designed.
• Retirement villages that fit in well with the neighbourhood.
•  Childcare and community activities that support the surrounding community. 

Activities that require resource consent are: 

• Retail activities or commercial activities that attract a lot of traffic or take business away from centres. 
• Industrial or noisy activities. 
• Servicing, maintaining and storing vehicles.

We are testing these changes with you so it is important you find out more or get involved in the process by letting us know what you think.

The need for a new zone that allows rural lifestyle living on the fringe of our city and towns has been identified. We have not yet identified where these areas will be.

Activities that are allowed without resource consent are:

• What you can do in a residential zone.
• Limited subdivision of small lots down to one hectare.
• Development that retains the special lifestyle character.
• Rural activities.

Activities that require resource consent are: 

• Rural industry.
• Industry.
• Retail and commercial.

You can continue to do what you are doing despite any new rules that may be introduced.  However, if you intend to change what you are doing then you may be subject to the new rules. This only applies when the plan is approved.

Urban growth areas are identified where the city will grow in the long-term in 10 to 30 years' time.  In the interim, we want to ensure that activities in these areas do not compromise their potential to be used for future housing.  NPDC will require that the land is rezoned before it can be developed for urban use.

Activities that are allowed without resource consent are:

• Activities that are consistent with the underlying zone provisions (typically, Rural Production Zone).   These include farming activities and supporting small-scale rural industry.

Activities that require resource consent are: 

• Business and retail activities.
• Rural industry and general industry activities.
• Small lot/rural lifestyle and residential subdivision.