What is a private plan change?

If your proposal is site specific, one-off, and/or a small-scale project, it may be more appropriate for you to apply for a resource consent. Essentially resource consents grant permission for an activity, while a private plan change alters the District Plan itself. 

We actively monitor the effectiveness of the District Plan and will regularly initiate plan changes to respond to emerging issues. If your proposal is not related to an issue that we are proposing to deal with through the plan change process, you have the option of applying for a private plan change.  

However, it is unlikely that we would consider any request for a private plan change within two years of the release of the Proposed District Plan – Decisions Version 2023. 

If you have decided to investigate the viability of undertaking a private plan change, you will need to be familiar with the process below.  

1. The applicant lodges a private plan change request with us. This must be in writing and express your reasons for the plan change and describe the environmental effects of the proposal. You will need to produce a plan change document that includes an explanation of the proposed change and a Section 32 report which considers the appropriateness of the plan change and assesses the costs and benefits of the environmental, economic, social and cultural effects that are anticipated. 
2. We process the request. We can request further information and commission reports if necessary. 
3. We modify the request with the applicant’s permission, if appropriate. 
4. The Council decides whether to adopt, accept or reject the plan change request, or to convert the request to a resource consent. 
5. The Council publicly notifies that it has adopted or accepted the plan change, allowing submissions and further submissions from the public to be made. 
6. The Council holds a hearing if required, where it assesses the plan change, and the submissions made. The Council will then publicly notify its decision. 
7. The applicant and any submitter can appeal the Council’s decision to the Environment Court within 30 working days. 

A basic private plan change can take between six months to one year to process. A more complex plan change could take two years to process. 

An application containing evidence of appropriate consultation and complete and correct information will take less time to process. 

You will require expert advice from a planning consultant to prepare the private plan change. Any costs associated with this are at your own expense. 

The Council requires a deposit on receipt of a private plan change to process the application. This is only a deposit as additional fees are likely to be required covering staff time, professional expertise and associated notification costs. The total cost of a private plan change will depend on the scope of the request. 

Before preparing your application it is best to arrange a meeting with one of our District Planning and Growth Team. It is also advisable to hire a planning consultant to help you prepare your application.